Royal Findings II
by Mandagal12
Summary: Sequel. Just when Kay's adjusted to modern life again, she's thrown back into Narnia to help Prince Caspian. Life, no matter in what world, is unpredictable. Especially when you've got friends like hers. peterXoc
1. Preface

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**Preface**

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The castle was meant to be a happy, thriving place... Not a place of mourning. Nevertheless, every single soul who had congregated to Cair Paravel was deep in depression. And anger. For once, the sounds of waves crashing on the shore below did not soothe... They irritated.

Especially High King Peter.

He despised that ocean.

It reminded him of_her_.

She had nearly died in those evil waters.

His true love, the one who had given her life to save him. She had fought for his freedom when he had not. Peter hated himself. If he did not have his siblings to care for, he would willingly fling himself off the tallest tower of Cair Paravel- A castle he felt he no longer deserved. Narnia didn't need a coward as a king. They needed someone with a pure heart, strength, and courage to lead them. She would have led Narnia without trouble. She would have fought the herbs. She could have done anything.

Instead, she had saved him.

A foolish mistake, because he should have died.

His family and friends loved him, they would have missed him. But she had the entire world missing her. Thousands had traveled to Cair Paravel, too many to fit inside the Great Hall. Crowds of birds, bears, centaurs, sheep, fauns, badgers, lizards, and countless more animals had made their way to the castle. All of the Elvin population had come too, their striking features ruined by the wrinkles and signs of grief. But the Narnians were not alone, sad nobles from Archenland joined them. Lord Patdor and his family had arrived just in time for the ceremony.

Her body had been placed on a table, covered in a cloth of red and orange. Her fire may have diminished inside, but he made sure that the colors of flame would embrace her . It was so wrong to see her so cold... She had always been so warm.

Even in death she looked lovely, beauty unmatched. With eyes closed, mouth in a tiny smile, and arms pulled to her chest. Herhands held purple flowers. The elves had explained to him that they were Jordue Flowers, the very ingredient in the antidote. It was only suiting that she hold them in her eternal peace, they were a symbol of herfinal act.

He sobbed looking at the procession continue. It only earned him looks of pity and understanding, but he ignored them. A line had been formed through the Great Hall and extended outside, everyone took their turn to lay flowers or gifts on the floor. Every elf brought the same gift: a Jordue Flower. The rest had brought something unique and individual to offer to their fallen hero.

He would wait until the line ended, he would give his gift last. His siblings and her closest friends waited too, their time with her would be a private ceremony.

Many hours passed, the pile of flowers and lovely trinkets grew and grew. Soon it seemed that the entire castle smelled of flowers rather than the sea. But finally, the crowd had dispersed, returning solemnly to their homes throughout the land. He did not see anyone off, not even King Lune. But that was the last thing he wanted to do- it would mean seeing the woman who had ruined his life. He did not ask when the filth's trial would commence, he did not want to know what her punishment would be. He never wished to hear of the evil girl ever again. He knew that King Lune would have justice.

But no amount of justice would bring her _back._

His tears came harder, his body shook more violently. So violently, that the crown fell from his head and clattered onto the stone ground. He did not care, nothing mattered anymore. His life held no importance. The responsibility of leading Narnia would go to Edmund. He would tell Ed so, but only when his brother could bear looking at his face. He didn't blame his brother... He was disgusted with himself as well.

"Pick up your crown, my King." The low voice of Vicern said. It was not a request, it was a command. Why did the Elvin lord call him 'king'? He neither deserved nor wanted such a title...

He did not move.

Someone sighed, and a soft hand picked up the fallen crown. "Peter, it's our turn to pay respects. _Please_, put your crown back on."

"Give it to Ed, it belongs to him now. His voice sounded strange. It didn't seem like he spoke, it was as if a stranger spoke. He could feel nothing but his agony... He didn't even feel his sister pull him up to his feet.

"You may wallow in self-pity after the ceremony. She deserves better from you, give her your gift." Susan hissed.

Why did his sister even speak to him?

He knew that Susan hated him.

Slowly, he shook his head. No, his sister didn't hate him. She didn't hate herself. Rage influenced her tone now, Susan was livid with herself and him. It was impossible to forget that she too had been controlled- but it had not been her that killed...

Dear Aslan, he could not even think of her name!

Lifeless, he reached out and took the crown from her grasp. Robotically, he placed it on his head again. Susan and Vicern held hands as they walked away from him, the promise rings shining from their fingers. For a moment he pitied them, their wedding would only begin to be organized when it was clear that everyone was healed from the loss of her. They would have a long time to wait.

His eyes scanned the remaining people. Lucy was clinging to Stilden, their bodies trembled as they cried without end. He felt compassion rush through him at the sight of the two. Lucy had tried so hard, so damn hard to bring her back. But that magic elixir could not bring back the dead. And Stilden, brave and courageous Stilden, had risked his life to run through the castle and save her wand and crown. It had been wise, because the traitor had gone after them as soon as she learned of their existence. Stilden had run, with wand and crown in possession, to Archenland and found aid.

They had loved her dearly.

It was **his** fault that **she** was **gone**.

_Gone_.

_Forever_.

Movement out of the corner of his eyes distracted him. He watched as Edmund approached her now, passing the gifts and without fear. The young man's face was torn and pale, only hinting at the complete and utter devastation inside. Ed was barely functioning, all knew that he was very close to losing his life. If he did not heal, the grief would kill him. Edmund reached her body and touched it, as if it was the natural thing.

And suddenly, from where he stood watching, Peter felt jealousy. It looked so right, even to him, for Ed to touch her so lovingly. Edmund loved her, deeply and purely. It had been Ed, not he, who had saved her countless times. It had been Ed, not he, who had taught her to defend herself when she felt so powerless, her fire gone. And it had been Ed who screamed in insane rage at the sky, cursing Aslan, as he cradled her body close to his chest on the balcony that horrible day...

All the while, he, High King Peter the bloody no good Magnificent, merely watched confused. Confused at the blood that dripped off his sword. It had taken only 10 seconds for his head to gain control over his body and his vision to clear... Only 10 seconds to be freed. But it had taken him a whole 10 minutes to realize what he had done...

And by that time, Edmund had already taken her ripped, broken body away. Far, far, far away from her murderer.

Since then, Ed had yet to look at him. But that would take much time, Ed despised him, and rightfully so.

He took a deep breath, trying to bring calm to his mind. The sobs resided slightly, becoming silent, burning tears. He watched as Ed slipped a gold ring with rubies onto her finger. No doubt the ring he had never been able to offer her, as he kneeled and asked her to be his wife.

The jealousy melted away.

Edmund and her were a perfect match. They deserved each other, he realized. The impact of this statement knocked the breath out of him, but strangely, there was no bitterness. Only regret... Regret that he had been in the way of Ed's happy ending... And suddenly, he knew that one day... One day he and his brother would be able to reconcile. They were brothers, blood, kin. He would admit his wrong and offer his title of High King. Yes, he and Edmund would sort things out, all would be well... One day.

But one thing would never change.

Peter would always love his Makayla.

With this resound fact in his mind, heart, and soul, High King Peter approached Makayla... Not his Princess, but his Queen. Gently, he placed a Jordue Flower upon her chest.


	2. Chapter 1

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**Chapter 1**

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Wow.

It's so weird sitting here and knowing that this is Chapter 1. The beginning. The start. The origin.

And it's exciting too.

I'm looking forward to writing dialogue between Kay and Prince Caspian.

You should know that I will be changing things, especially from the movie:

1.No romance between Susan and Caspian. (Let's have respect for Vicern!)

2. The story isn't going to take place within a few days in Narnia. To develop my characters, they need more time than this.

And **warning**:

Kay has a life in her world and I plan on developing a story with this. So the first part of this sequel will deal with her troubles and drama in her world- then BAM. Prince Caspian here we come! So don't get your knickers in a twist if Kay isn't in Narnia soon.

Also, the last chapter was meant to be dramatic and sad. The bold was to emphasis the meaning of loss on Kay and the fact that Peter couldn't even say her name. Don't worry, the normal tone to the story is setting back in!

_Now enjoy:_

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A child dropped his Nintendo onto the floor, the expensive technology hit the tiles roughly. The screen even cracked. He was a pale boy, no older than ten, with freckles dotting across his nose and upper cheeks. Light, brown messy hair reflected the lights of the pizza parlor, but it was his eyes that held my attention. They were wide in shock and... fear.

"Y-You just vanished! Then reappeared!" He pointed at me in accusation. Then his eyes narrowed, "You had a cake with you, where is it?"

Cake?

Oh!

That's right, I had... I had a chocolate cake!

I stood there, frozen in place in the doorway. My left hand held the glass door open, allowing the cool night air to enter inside. My right hand was empty, no chocolate cake to weigh it down.

"I..." My mouth shut. How did someone react to this? How did the most sensible and calm human behave in my situation? I had just lived years in a different world- where animals talked, trees had souls, and magic was a reality- only to be thrown back into my own land so suddenly? And I _couldn't_ be insane, a child had witnessed my body's transportation.

"Mom!" The boy tugged on a woman's sleeve. She was a tall, slender woman of forty or so. Her hair and freckles were the same as the boy's. Looking up from her cell phone, the woman gave her son a tired look.

"Yes?"

"That woman just vanished with her cake, and then she's back! But this time the cake is gone!" The boy glared at me. "She's crazy... Can we leave?"

His mother looked at me, with flushed cheeks. "I'm so sorry about this. He has a wild imagination with all those war video games he plays-" Her eyes spotted his Nintendo on the floor. "Nathan! Look what you've done! That's it, no more of those video games for a week!"

She stood from the table where they sat, grabbed the technology, and motioned for Nathan to follow.

I don't know how a sensible person would react, but I'm not logical. I'm Makayla Steen, former Princess of a country that did not even exist in this world... Therefore, considering my lack of experience in jumping worlds, I think I handled myself well enough...

I went into shock.

I walked, my feet dragging on the tiled floor. A waitress stopped refilling the salad bar and stared at me. "Are you alright?"

There was no title in her question.

Not even a 'miss'.

How was she supposed to know to address me as 'your highness'?

A sad smile tugged at the corner of my lips. I ignored her and carried on to the rowdy group of teenagers at the back of the pizzeria.

"Captain! About time!"

The voice made my heart squeeze tight in fright... It was eerie how familiar yet alien the voice was. I _knew_ that voice... From my _dreams_... It had been over two years since I had heard this person in reality.

_He_ stepped out from the crowd, spotting me before anyone else, almost as if he had been waiting for me. Duke Keelings was as handsome as I remembered, his tanned face attractive. Others turned to greet me, but none had a smile bigger than Duke's.

"Duke..." I whispered, tears coming to my eyes.

His smile faltered.

My legs could no bear my weight, my sanity began to leave me. The anguish and pain of heartbreak hit me, and it hit me hard. They were gone. Everyone I loved was gone. Edmund... Lucy... Susan... Vicern... Stilden... **Peter**.

"Oh my god." I began to sob and collapsed to the ground pitifully. "NO! NO!" I screamed, throwing my fist at the hard floor. The pain shot up my arm and I groaned in irritate. My guardian powers were gone. "TAKE ME BACK! TAKE ME BACK TO HIM NOW! ASLAN!"

Something inside of me had snapped, and I had no control anymore.

"TAKE ME BACK NOW ASLAN! TAKE ME BACK TO HIM!" I shouted at the ceiling, knowing the lion could hear me. He had to... I needed to get back. I needed to tell Peter that it was okay. I didn't hate him for what he did. It was impossible for me to hate Peter. "OH GOD. P-PLEASE-"

Someone slid their arms beneath me and before I knew it, I was lifted up into the air. Strong arms with a lovely scent... I closed my eyes and smiled. "Peter?" It had to be him, the comfort that rushed through me, sending pleasant shivers up my spine was incredible. No one but my Peter had this effect on me. "I knew it... I knew Aslan would send me back to you."

"Alyssa, grab my keys from my back pocket." His orders were softly spoken but stern. "Go open my car, we need to get her home. She's hallucinating."

My eyes flew open and I hissed, "**You're** **not** **Peter!!**"

Duke didn't even look down, he stared straight ahead in determination.

I threw my fist against his chest in rage. "WHERE IS PETER?!"

Duke didn't even flinch.

Tears flew down my cheeks, they were hot and sticky. I couldn't breath right. I couldn't think straight. My whole word was collapsing. There was no air to keep me alive... Air...

"OH MY GOD SHE'S CHOKING!" Alyssa screamed and began to cry. "DUKE! WHAT'S WRONG WITH HER?."

We were outside now and it was cold. I had no flame to keep me warm. This thought made me sob harder and I felt dizzy, I couldn't breathe. Suddenly I found myself inside a car, where it was warm and nice. Duke hovered over me, his eyes filled with panic. "Calm down Kay! Calm, p-please!" He looked as pale as a corpse.

A corpse.

Is that what I had behind in Narnia? Did my body lay there broken and torn on the castle balcony?

Oh dear god-

"No! Stop thinking about whatever is upsetting you!" Duke exclaimed. "Stay with me, you need to calm down. Take deep breaths and relax... That's right, deep breaths... There we go... Alyssa, call 911."

The idea of an ambulance made me stop. An ambulance meant a hospital. A hospital meant doctors. They would ask me what was wrong and I'd tell them the truth... And then they'd send me to some home for crazy people.

My head snapped up, "No!"

Alyssa paused and her fingers stopped dialing. "No?"

"Don't call, take me to my... to my parents!" I hiccuped then, randomly. After a tantrum or great cry I always started to hiccup. Then, happiness swept inside me, lifting my spirits. "My parents!" I laughed aloud, sounding nuts even to myself. The sudden changes of mood were alarming, but I couldn't help it. "Yes, yes! Take me to my parents! I have two of them! I have a mother... I have a father... Oh, please take me to them! Take me **home**."

I'd finally see my family again! This made a grin silly.

Duke was looking at me incredulously, speechless.

It was Alyssa who broke the silence. "Kay?" Her voice was weak and frightened.

I blinked, "Yes?"

"W-Why the hell do you have a british accent?"

I blinked again, "I do not."

"Y-You do." Duke stuttered. Then, he shook his head, as if to clear it. "Alyssa you got a ride here with Stephanie right?"

She nodded, too freaked out to speak.

"Then you take Kay's car home, follow me. I'll drive her." Duke startled me by suddenly reaching over me, and took the keys from my sweatshirt pocket. He tossed them to Alyssa. His body was so close to my face that I took in his scent again. He smelled wonderful... Obviously some sort of cologne, but it reminded me of Peter's smell.

No. Best not think about him right now.

Breathe.

Just breathe and relax.

I was surprised when Duke pulled the seatbelt over my body and buckled me in. This was by far the most gentle thing he'd ever done, I wonder if he was so kind with his sister. His behavior was strange, but I let it go. I had more important and weirder things going on. A veil of white covered my vision and thoughts- I was a total blank. Nothing registered with me. It was like I was on temporary shut down.

So I was unprepared when Duke was suddenly opening the passenger door, unbuckling the seatbelt, and carrying me to a house. I snapped back into reality when I realized that this was **my** house actually. There were lights inside and shadows moved across the closed curtains. An involuntary shudder went through me, dear lord I was going to see my parents again. And it was hard, knowing that they thought they'd seen me just a few hours earlier.

If Duke noticed my shiver, he did not show it. Instead, he continued to carry me to the door, where Alyssa now stood knocking.

The wooden door opened, and there stood the most gorgeous woman I'd ever seen.

My mother.

She was prettier in my eyes now, because I had been blind before. I'd always taken her for granted, knowing that she'd be there whenever I came home from school or a visit to Alyssa's. She was always there. But she wasn't there for me in Narnia- not when I was being tortured by a witch. Not when I nearly died from being shot by an arrow. Not when my body was thrown around in the ocean. Not when I had my heart torn apart twice. I didn't feel any bitterness, because mom had no idea.

I choked up.

I could say 'mom' again.

"What's happened?" Mom stiffened when she saw me in Duke's arms. "Oh my god, what happened?"

Alyssa was crying, and her words came out messily. "W-We don't know! K-Kay was... well, she just walked into the pizzeria and started crying. She was screaming at the ceiling and acting like a crazy person-"

Anger shaped my next words. I said them darkly and clearly. "I am not crazy."

Everyone fell silent at my tone, and mom jumped out of the way so Duke could enter. He knew the house well and went straight to the living room, where my father sat in his armchair. Dad jumped up immediately at the sight of us.

"What the hell happened to my daughter?!" He demanded.

Duke laid me down on the sofa, so carefully that it made me snigger. Did he think I would break? He had no bloody idea how much I had endured in Narnia... I survived torture and beatings. But rather than leave me, Duke sat down on the ground besides my head, leaning against the sofa. His hair brushed against my nose, I instantly pulled away and sat up. I couldn't handle his smell right now, it reminded me too much of... him.

"What's going on?" Mom sounded upset. She was glancing fervently looking between Duke and Alyssa. "I need someone to explain."

Alyssa looked desperately at Duke, she still couldn't control her voice. I looked at her with pity, she had no idea what she was about to hear...

Just before Duke could speak, I began to talk. "I need you four to promise me that you will listen as I tell my tale, it would be easier if you did not interrupt. It is a long story and I want to tell you before I forget, because I fear that if I don't speak now, I will lose the memories... It happened in Narnia and I'm sure that it will happen here."

Dad fell back into his armchair covering his mouth in horror, "W-Where did you...? The a-accent!"

I held up my hand calmly, "Peace. Allow me to explain, but first, do I have your word that you will listen? To everything."

"Do we need to call the hospital-" Mom looked at Duke with petrified eyes.

"No Mom, I need you to trust me." I stared at her pleadingly. "I need you to listen, please, and then you can decide if you want to call the doctors. I assure you that you will not need to. Do you promise?"

Mom searched my eyes, she always knew how to read me by my eyes. Apparently she found my sincerity, because she slowly nodded. "I promise..."

"Dad?"

"I-I promise."

"Alyssa? Duke?" I smiled weakly at the two of them.

Duke ran a hand through his hair. Oh god, he was even acting like Peter. "Yes, I'll listen."

Unable to form words, Alyssa merely gave a shaky nod before sitting on the carpet floor.

"Dad? You don't happen to have your laptop?" I scanned the living room. "Ah! Oh good, you have it on too." Walking over to it, I calmly closed the internet window and activated the webcam. It came on and I placed it into my father's lap. I turned the laptop so that the little built in camera captured the couch, where I would sit as I told my story. "I need to ensure that I never forget what I'm about to tell you. This will be proof."

I clicked 'record'. The little red light turned on and I knew it was rolling.

I floated back to the couch and sat down, my posture straight and regal. My hands clasped in my lap and I began.

"I had bought a chocolate cake for the team and I carried it as I walked to the entrance of the pizzeria..."

They never said a word for the next three hours, keeping true to their promises.


	3. Chapter 2

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**Chapter 2**

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Sorry for not updating sooner. I've had guests staying with my family for two weeks, so I've been very busy. Thank you to everyone who updated, I'm very excited to be working on a sequel!

_Now enjoy:_

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Their faces worried me, so much that I began to think that they would lock me up inside a mental hospital.

Mom and Dad looked frightened, so incredibly scared and pale. Duke seemed to be in a daze, staring not at me but somewhere behind my body. Alyssa had been scooting towards the door, attempting to be subtle, but it was clear that she wanted to leave. She thought I was dangerous.

Is that what they thought about me? That I was a _monster_?

I finished my tale, but no one had spoke. Two minutes passed by, and I finally made a move. Standing up, I made my way to the webcam and turned off the recording. It only took a moment to save it.

I named the recording, 'The Truth'.

Turning to them, I prepared for the worst. "Please, say something."

Dad laughed, running a hand through his hair. It wasn't his usual, soft laugh… It was a crazed laugh, one that belonged to a person on the brink of mental breakdown. "W-What the hell can we say?"

"Something that tells me where you stand." I said softly. "Please."

"Are you high?" Mom hissed.

My eyes narrowed, "No. I would never touch drugs."

She didn't pay any attention to my answer, and looked at Duke for confirmation. "Does she do drugs?"

For the first time, Duke seemed to snap back into reality. Hearing her question, my friend shook his head. "No… Kay isn't into that sort of thing."

"She's crazy." Alyssa murmured fearfully. "She's lost her mind."

That brought Dad back to his senses. Instantly, he was on the defense. "How dare you! How can you say such a thing about my daughter? Your best friend?! You can hear her- she speaks with such formally and proper! No one insane can hold such grace…"

Hope fluttered inside my chest. "You believe me Dad?"

My father was a smart, collected, but youthful man. I couldn't have asked for a better dad- he supported me throughout my life. So, my heart stopped beating when he didn't say anything.

For five agonizing seconds he did not respond.

Then he simply looked at me and whispered, "Yes, I believe you."

My shoulders fell in relief, I ran to the man and embraced him. "Oh thank Aslan, I don't think I can handle all this if my own family didn't believe me!"

"I… I believe too." My mom suddenly said. Pulling away from my father, I faced her. She was pale and trembling, but she was smiling. "If you say that I visited you in dreams and saved you in your darkest hour… then I know you're telling the truth. I would never leave you alone, especially when you are close to death. I know deep in my heart that I'd do anything I could to help you darling… Even if I'm not even aware that I did."

Tears brimmed my eyes. "Mommy… I missed you."

She stood and came to me, and wrapped her arms around me. "I wish I could have been there to help you. My baby girl having her heart broken, I'm so proud of you… You handled it all by yourself."

I gave a shaky laugh. "No, that's not true. I had friends."

"What? A talking white tiger?!" Screeched Alyssa. She was losing control.

Duke rubbed his temples, "And an elf?"

My chest tightened. "You guys don't believe me." It was a statement.

"Of course not! You're nuts!" Alyssa began to hyperventilate.

Dad fired back, "Her? Look at you! You can't even handle-"

"Leave her alone." Duke interrupted, strangely calm. "Look, I'm sort of with her here. Kay do you hear yourself? You sound as if you're reading from a fantasy adventure book."

I nodded in agreement. "I know Duke, but please remember that this is me. Me… Makayla Steen. Captain of the girl's water polo team, ordinary American high school student, and your friend. Do you not trust me? Do you not care for me? What on earth do I have to gain from telling such a tale? I don't think I would just suddenly think up of a strange story just for fun."

"I know." Now Duke sounded frustrated. "Damn it I know, which is why I'm so torn here. My heart believes me, but logic…"

"We play with our hearts in water polo Captain." I reminded him.

He averted his eyes, ashamed.

I turned to Alyssa, "Why are you so frightened?"

Her eyes widened, "I-I'm not scared…"

"You are." I murmured. As gently as I could, I smiled. "Alyssa it's okay, you don't have to believe me. I'll think of a way to prove to you that I am telling the truth… All I ask is that you tell no one of this."

Thankfully, she nodded.

I tapped my chin, "Now how can I prove to you… I don't have my wand… But would my flame remain with me in this world? Nay, I do not feel it within me… Perhaps a demonstration with a sword? No, I need my Sais…"

"Could you use kitchen knives?" Duke suggested.

"Not butter knives, I would need proper ones." I nodded. "I'll be right back."

"No, I'll get them." Dad offered. He disappeared through the doorway and we could hear drawers opening. Not a minute later he returned with two of our largest knives.

"What are you going to do?" Alyssa demanded. She seemed fearful at the very thought of me having knives in possession.

Taking them, I examined their sharpness and weight, testing them with a few spins. "I'll show you some control that I have learned. These blades are not too sharp, but the handles need some more welding… They will work though."

With that, my parents stepped away from me, and I closed my eyes.

I pictured myself standing in the training courtyard of Cair Paravel, Ed standing several feet away from me, with this sword at the ready. This was just another casual training session, nothing special. With a good natured grin, Ed ran at me, raising his sword.

I parried, and twisted beneath him, spinning my spare blade in my hand playfully. It twirled, the blade never hitting my skin, and shone in the sunlight. It had taken me many months to master such tricks. I threw the blade over my shoulder, and pushed off the ground, throwing myself into the air. My body did a flip, before landing easily and I stretched out my hand. The blade came tumbling down in the air, and landed safe and sound in my hand.

"Show off." Ed mumbled before charging again.

I laughed…

When I opened my eyes, my smile fall away when I found myself back in the living room of my American home. Four people stared at me in shock, the car keys that Alyssa held fell to the ground.

"Is that enough or must I show you some attacks?"

"NO!" They all shouted at me.

I blinked, and took in their expressions. Hastily, I put the knives down and took a step away from them. My little show of defense had scared them… They all sat or stood rigid and on guard.

It was my dad who spoke first, but he seemed to be talking to himself. "My little girl… Dolphin… a killer?"

I swallowed, trying to ignore the lump forming in my throat. "I only killed evil dad, I would never hurt anyone innocent. It was my duty."

Mom held a hand over her mouth in horror. "Are you okay?"

Confused, I opened my mouth to reply but she cut me off. "Are you traumatized from all the war? The battle? Oh my god, what you must have seen… All that blood."

"Don't worry," I whispered, "You get used to it."

"I believe you." Duke got to his feet and looked straight at me. I almost flinched at his serious gaze. "But I'm curious… Lift up your shirt."

"What?!" Dad growled.

Duke blanched, "What I mean is… I'm curious to see if there is anything left from where Peter stabbed you."

To hear someone say it so bluntly made me wince. But nevertheless, I pushed aside the pain from the statement and slowly pulled up my sweatshirt and shirt. Everyone's eyes watched my exposed skin.

"Oh my god…" Alyssa stood up slowly, and stared with wide eyes.

I looked down and gasped. There on my skin, just above my tummy and beneath the start of my bra, was a horrid scar. It was large and completely healed, but its source was unmistakable. It was a scar of sword running straight through me, the thickness of the blade displayed.

Alyssa rushed forward and spun me around without warning. She pulled the back of my clothing up, and she groaned. "It's on your back too."

"Holy…" Duke sounded as if he was about to pass out. His tone was weak and shaky. "It went right through you didn't it?"

Pulling away from Alyssa, I covered myself again. "Now do you believe me Alyssa?"

She frowned but nodded.

I paused, and looked at all of them. "Now what happens?"

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**One Week Later**

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"Alyssa called earlier to say that she'll swing by at seven to pick you up." Dad announced, before taking a bite of salad. "And Duke's going to drive you home after school, no water polo practice."

"Okay." I drank from my wine. My parents had deemed Alyssa and Duke my guardians at school, I wasn't suprised that they didn't trust me to drive myself anywhere. I hadn't drove a car in 2 years... I was rusty.

Mom eyed the red liquid warily, "I still don't like the idea of you drinking alcohol-"

I put the glass down and smiled, "It was a daily drink for me in Narnia… I've had it everyday for more than a year now, I've grown fond of it. But I can assure you that I never abused it."

She pursed her lips, but kept her peace.

Dad sighed, "Are you sure you want to go back to school tomorrow? We can wait another week, I can get the doctor to write another excuse-"

Putting my hands up, I assured them, "I am perfectly fine. School is nothing compared to war, and plus, I've missed learning. I miss having an ordinary life."

"You also miss your life in Narnia though…" Mom gave me a sad smile. "We can tell you miss them all."

"I do miss them." I whispered. "They were my family and now I don't know how they are or what's happening in their lives. I will never know if Vicern and Susan marry. I will never know how many children Patdor and Maret will have. I will never know if Lucy falls in love. I will never see Edmund or Stilden again. And… I'll never be able to tell Peter that I forgive him."

"You know, just last week I had a teenage daughter." Dad chuckled. "Today I have another middle-aged woman living in my home. My god I never thought that someone so young could be so grown up, but you have proved that it's possible. I could buy you a house and you could live alone happily!"

"I still can't cook Dad." I joked.

"Of course you don't." Dad grumbled. "You just had a dozen servants make your meals… Well reality check honey, we don't have any servants."

Grinning I replied, "I wouldn't have it any other way."


	4. Chapter 3

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**Chapter 3**

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Another update! Wohoo!

I know you're all anxious to have her back in Narnia- but remember that doesn't happen until one year later... Same with the Pevensies. So patience! hehe

_Now enjoy:_

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The honk outside startled me, and it also made me flush in embarrassment. Alyssa was here and honked, meaning it was 7 AM. Meaning I had been staring at the mirror for 30 minutes.

Mortified, I grabbed my full backpack and ran out of my room. There were clothes thrown about the bed and floor, the make up and jewelry boxes looked as if someone had rampaged them... But I couldn't help it.

I was scared.

You could put twenty minotaurs before me and I wouldn't flinch. But you send me to high school for a day and I was a mess! It had been two years since I lived among teenagers of this world... That was worrying.

My memory was back and I knew that I had nothing to fear, because to everyone else in the world the story was simple: Relatives from England had come to visit suddenly, bringing news that my grandmother had died on the same night of the team party. Me, being ever so close to said grandma, was devastated. So it's understandable that I had a breakdown at the party.

Well, that's what my parents, Duke, and Alyssa had told everyone. Now I had to play my part in the tale. I'd go to school looking sad and speaking very little and take a few weeks off from water polo. I wouldn't speak much because I needed to lose my British accent. I wouldn't play water polo because...

I was _terrified_ of swimming.

Dad had been the one to guess when I refused to take a bath, he had seen right through my faked confidence. He noticed the horror that came over my face when I hastily said I'd take a shower instead. And if Dad knew, then Mom knew.

And to get Coach off my back he'd told Duke, my fellow Captain. Coach couldn't get me into the pool when both his Captain and volunteer-parent assistant were against him.

"KAY!" Mom shouted from the kitchen. "Alyssa is-"

"Here." I finished for her, entering the kitchen. I grabbed the brown paper bag from the counter which held me lunch, kissed her cheek, and exited the room in less than 10 seconds. "See you after school!" I called out just before I shut the front door behind me.

As soon as it was closed, I froze.

Oh my god, it was like Narnia never happened. Everything this morning seemed to normal... So routine... Waking up to an alarm clock, taking a shower, getting dressed, packing my backpack, rushing out the door, and now heading to high school. It was ordinary life. An ordinary day in an ordinary teenage life.

Alyssa was looking at me with concern and honked again.

Jumping, I tightened my hold on my lunch bag and walked to the passenger door. It was unlocked and I got in.

"Good morning Alyssa." I greeted, buckling the seatbelt.

She sniggered, "You're going to have to cut down on that you know."

I blinked stupidly. "Pardon?"

Apparently it was the wrong response because she laughed as she began to drive. "That! The whole polite attitude... It's too adult."

"Oh." I mumbled, "Sorry."

Alyssa sighed, "It's okay. Look, I'm still freaked out by this whole thing. You know this morning I had to actually pinch myself three times to remind myself that this is real. This whole thing about you living in a different world and coming back..." I must have looked offended because she quickly assured, "I totally believe you Kay, don't worry. It's just... It's just that I don't know how to act around you."

"What do you mean?" I felt hurt.

Not taking her eyes off the road, Alyssa looked awkward as she explained, "Put yourself into my position. My best friend, just a normal girl, tells me that she's a royal super strong soldier who fell in love with a Prince... Oh, well I guess I should say king huh? You had the adventure that I've always dreamed about! An elf and two men fell in love with you, you're friends were Queens, you lived in a castle, you had magic powers, and more! I guess... I guess I'm just a bit jealous that I couldn't go too."

My mouth hung open. "You make my life sound like a fairy-tale. It is I who is jealous! Yes, I have no regrets about my life in Narnia... But you have not had your heart torn apart and thrown in your face twice. You haven't had the countless experiences of slicing a blade across an enemy's throat. You haven't-"

Alyssa was frowning, "Alright, damn Kay. Sorry I said anything."

I bit my lip. "Forgive me... I didn't mean to get so defensive."

Her frown turned into a grin.

I found myself smiling again. "What are you grinning about?"

"The fact that you just said 'forgive me'!" Alyssa exclaimed. "It's like I just pulled you from medieval romance novel."

I rolled my eyes, "Oh shut up."

"Aha, there's the modern teenager I know." She winked.

Neither of us said anything for the rest of the drive, but I was glad. It gave me the chance to finally come to terms with what was happening. I was returning to my old life, and there was no chance that I would ever leave it again. I should glad to have my family and friends again, and it was a miracle that they supported me. I had their love...

So why did I feel so alone?

My hands curled into fists.

No, I would not feel this way. I would be happy again... Happy in this life. With this family, with this circle of friends, with this home, with this world. I had told my tale and even had it recorded... It was time that I let it go or else I would forever be caught between two lives. Torn. An incomplete person.

I needed to be full and thriving. My heart was restored and in tact once more- there was no sense in dragging the painful past along and breaking it again.

While I sat in the passenger seat of Alyssa's modern day car, I let Narnia go. It was not cruel of me or wrong, but simply necessary. I stopped being Princess Makayla, Guardian of Narnia.

"I am Makayla Steen, junior high school student and Captain of the girls' water polo team." I whispered.

"What was that?"

I gave her a smile, "Nothing... Nothing at all."

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"Welcome back Makayla." My math teacher greeted me. Although his smile was bright and genuine, there was the strong shine of pity in his eyes. I wasn't surprised, all my teachers had been informed of my grandmother's death. They were probably instructed to be kind and taken an easy on me for the next month or two.

"Thanks." I said quietly and walked to my normal seat. Everyone bought it, I could tell by the awkward looks that they gave me. The whole class stared at me, well except for Alyssa and Duke. And my day was full of awkward stares. Strangers, friends, and rivals peeked at me from the corner of their eyes. They whispered when I passed them in the hallway, some even dared to point. But they were not cruel whispers, I knew that from their expressions. Everyone had heard about my dead grandmother and no doubt my breakdown in the pizza parlor.

I was touched when I walked into AP English with Duke, Alyssa had Biology. There, on top of my desk was a dozen roses and a few cards. One was signed by the entire girls water polo team and the others from a few friends. Duke squeezed my shoulder with a smile before going to his seat, I smiled at him.

Besides the pity, I found people shocked. They were taken aback at the new relationship between Duke and I. It was common knowledge that Duke was interested- but everyone knew that I always rejected him. Most even saw our fights and arguments. So it was no surprise that gossip flew when Duke walked at my side, even touching my arm or shoulder at times.

English flew by and before I knew it, the lunch bell was ringing.

"I'm sorry to hear about your grandma Kay." A girl I knew to be named Lily said. We had only spoke a few times, but I knew her to be a kind person.

"Thank you." I told her politely, standing up and gathering my things.

Lily nodded and left the classroom. Duke replaced her and he sighed, "I kind of feel bad."

"What?" I laughed.

"People think your grandma died."

"A shame, because she's happily sipping tea over in England right now." I teased lightly. "You know, I've never met her but she sounds nice on the phone."

Duke shook his head. "Poor woman, she probably loves you to death and here you are! Telling people she's dead."

I smiled, "Yeah, I'm going to hell. Anyways, is Alyssa meeting us in the cafeteria?"

"She said she'll grab a table for us." Duke explained as we left the classroom and entered the hallway. It was crowded and suddenly I was reminded with of a river. Except there was no water, but just a bunch of hungry teenagers... And the current was flowing towards the cafeteria.

"We're not going to sit with the team?" I asked, confused. "We always sit with the same crowd."

"Right now you've got to drop the accent." He laughed. "Don't worry, I've already told the team that you'd like a bit of time to 'mourn' Granny. They understand, I mean they gave you flowers!"

"The girls did." I corrected. "Your boys had nothing to do with it."

He winced, "Well us guys aren't as... Prepared to handle stuff like girls are."

"You're handling it." I noted.

"But it's different for me."

I raised an eyebrow, "Different? I'd say more difficult! You know the truth and that's out of this world." I paused. "No pun intended."

Duke gave a grin and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, "Well, I do my best."

And that's how we walked into the busy cafeteria, the center of the social world of my high school. People looked up from their meals and conversations, some girls even gaped angrily at the sight of Duke Keelings arm around me. I felt blood rush to my face and carefully I wiggled out of his grasp.

"I think Alyssa is lonely." I pointed out calmly, ignoring the loud whispers of girls. All their pity was gone, only replaced with bitterness and jealousy. Lovely.

Duke followed my gaze and found our friend waving at us from an empty table. Unfortunately, it was located in the middle of the great large room. We made our way towards it, I struggled to hold my roses out of the way of passing people and their trays, but I managed.

"What's up?" I found myself asking as I plopped myself down onto the white table.

Alyssa choked on her pizza. It took her a few moments before she could speak, but when she did, she sounded surprised. "Wow... I think that's the first normal thing you've said since... Well, you know."

I opened my lunch bag and withdrew the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I examined it critically, "This is going to be my first peanut butter and jelly in two years."

Duke had sat down besides Alyssa, so they both faced me. His eyes widened, "Really? They were always your favorite, your mom makes them pretty much everyday for you."

Biting into the glorious sandwich, I gave him a hard look. After chewing and swallowing, I muttered, "You know too much about me. Stalker."

He shrugged, "I've been asking you out for the past year... I did my homework on you."

"The last time you asked me out was over two years ago, so the fact that you remember my favorite sandwich is worrying." I noted, continuing my eating.

Duke winked, "Maybe to you, but to the rest of the world I asked you just last week at the game."

I shivered, "Talk about weird."

Alyssa nodded. "Seriously."

Lunch was normal, strangely normal. There were no servants to prepare a fine feast, there were no golden goblets filled with wine, and there certainly was no crown above my head. But even after I thought about this, I felt no remorse. I was surprised to find that I was happy to sit with my simple sandwich that my mother had prepared.

A goblet meant nothing compared to a mother.


	5. Chapter 4

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**Chapter 4**

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My fingers are in a typing mood.

Yes, my fingers have moods...

What?

Are you laughing at me?

Ahhhhhh!

Don't judge me!

...

Or my fingers!

_Now enjoy:_

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"Your car smells nice."

As soon as the words escaped my mouth, I regretted them. Reddening, I turned my face away from the driving Duke and made sure to only look outside the window.

But Duke only laughed his good natured, nice laugh.

Oh great, now I was calling his laugh nice. What the hell was wrong with my brain? Did jumping worlds scramble it? Huh, that must be it.

"Thanks... I guess." He hesitated. "I don't think you've ever given me a compliment before."

I got defensive and snapped back to look at him. My eyes were narrowed, "Excuse me I told you 'Good job Captain' at your last game!"

Duke sighed, "I know, but I mean you've never given me, Duke, _not_ Keelings or Captain, a compliment. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, it's just... just different."

It was my turn to sigh. I gazed at him levelly. "I apologize Duke for my rudeness before, but I never saw you as anything else I guess. You were Captain or Keelings to me, never Duke. But... But after my visions in Narnia I realize how blind I was. There you were, a true friend standing right before me for so long, and yet I treated you so cruelly."

He coughed awkwardly, uncertain about the deep tone of our conversation. His nervousness amused me. "I-I wouldn't call it cruel exactly."

"Duke I set your speedo on fire and hid your spare in the girls' locker room." I stated.

"That was you?" Duke gasped.

"Sorry."

"Do you have any idea how angry Coach was? He thought I lost them!"

"Again, I apologize."

"Well, no harm done I guess." He pulled into my driveway. My car was parked on the curb in front of the house and my parent's car was empty in the second half of the double driveway. Duke ran a hand through his hair-

Peter.

I froze and watched as the handsome boy across from me continued the familiar motion... Duke ran his hand through his hair for a second time.

Peter.

No! Enough brain, shut up. I squeezed my eyes shut for a few seconds, hoping to clear my mind. This wasn't Peter, this was Duke Keelings. My friend. My fellow Captain. I would never compare him to Peter, **never.**

"So, should I come in?" Duke didn't meet my eyes.

In all my years of knowing Duke, I never knew him to be shy. He was the golden boy of the senior class, everyone knew he'd be crowned King at prom. That was a given. And everyone knew that he'd be offered a water polo scholarship to some great university. Duke was successful, confident, and popular. Good traits, but he made them into weaknesses. So to have him lower his eyes from mine took me aback. Never had he been so unsure with me.

"Ummm." I winced, I sounded like an idiot. "Sure."

Gripping my backpack, I pulled my house key from the side pocket and got out of the car. Graciously, Duke took my roses and cards for me. Once I had the front door unlocked, we walked into the house.

Dopey came bounding down the stairs and towards me, his loud barks and wagging tail lifting my spirits. "Hi Dopey. How was your day?"

He continued to bark without pause.

"That's good, mine was okay. Everyone stared at me." I gave him a scratch behind the ears before dumping my heavy bag onto the floor. As was my routine before... Well before Narnia... I jumped onto the living room couch and turned on the news.

Duke sat down besides me and put the roses and cards on the side table. He sat stiffly and rigidly.

I was surprised. "Don't you have water polo practice?"

At the question, he relaxed. I guess he was awkward and glad to have conversation. "Yeah but Coach let me have the day off to take you home."

"Oh," I coughed nervously. "That was nice of him."

"Yeah."

A silence ensued.

I had been a Princess, so I should have the diplomatic skills to bring about conversation without problem. But I wasn't a Princess anymore and this wasn't just any other noble. This was Duke- the boy with whom I had a strange and complicated relationship with. Over two years ago I had disliked him but called acknowledged him as a 'friend'. And now, he was much more. I trusted Duke, I trusted him with my greatest secret- Narnia. And he had believed me, supported me, and helped me. He was a dear friend now. But what was I supposed to say to him? Why wasn't he leaving?

"When are you going to get back to practice?" He broke the silence with the question, and I could tell by how quickly the words came out that he'd been dying to ask.

I suddenly was very interested in the trim of my t-shirt. "I'm not sure."

"Why aren't you going?" Duke questioned, speaking very slowly.

"M-My dad doesn't think it's a good idea-" I began to lie.

"That's a load of crap." He interrupted. "Tell me the truth, why aren't you going to practice?"

Unable to find words, I simply sat there quietly.

Suddenly, he was sitting so close that our thighs and hips were touching. Duke put a hand on my shoulder and the other softly touched my cheek. "Tell me Kay..."

"I-I can't." I whispered hoarsely.

"Please."

"Y-You won't understand."

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "If I can understand that you lived in different world, then I'm pretty sure I can handle this."

I didn't laugh or even smile. Instead, I considered his words. He was right, I had nothing to be ashamed of anyways. Duke was sacrificing a lot to help me- spending time with his friends, going to practice, spending time with his sister. Heck, he even canceled a date with some senior girl just to come over a few days ago.

Finding courage, though it was only a little, I managed to look up at him. "I'm afraid of water."

Duke did not stare at me, judge me, and he certainly did not mock me. Instead, instant comprehension came to him and before I knew it, his arms were securely wrapped around my body. "I knew it."

"Y-You knew?" My eyes were wide.

"It was obvious when you were telling us about the storm after you were shot by..." He winced, and decided not to finish the sentence. "I guess the others didn't notice, but the way you talked about the ocean scared me. You talked too quickly and your eyes kept blinking nervously, I've never seen you so upset before."

"Stalker." I mumbled.

"No just observant." He retaliated, then pulled back from the hug. "I'll teach you."

"Teach me what?"

"How to swim."

I snorted in a very unladylike manner. "I already know how."

"You know what I mean!" Duke snapped, his patience running thin. I retracted slightly, surprised at his sudden change of mood. Seeing my reaction, he ran his hand through his hair...

"Don't do that." I whispered, my body frozen in place.

He looked confused. "What?"

"That." I croaked weakly. "Run your hand through your hair... Please, just don't."

"Why?" Thankfully, his hand fell from his hair and into his lap.

"B-Because it brings back bad memories about _him_." I spoke so low that I doubted he'd hear me.

I don't know if he did hear me or not, because he didn't answer. Instead, Duke simply turned his attention to the television and did not speak to me for the next two hours. Only when my parents walked through the front door did he mumble a goodbye before leaving. I could hear his car drive away.

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School was fun.

I know, school is meant to be horrible and evil. I thought it was, but that was before I was dropped- literally- into another world. Being a Princess meant a rich and easy lifestyle, and I absolutely loved having access to the castle's library, but school offered so much more. It offered education, friends, and...

Okay fine, school wasn't _that_ fun, but I had missed it.

And it made me really appreciate my friends- all of whom I had taken for granted before Narnia. It was so easy and naive to think that everyone would be at school the next day, nothing would change... But that was false. Everything could change in an instant. Who better to know that than me? I really learned to appreciate Alyssa and all the things she had done for me throughout the years, I couldn't have asked for a better friend. Although she was very wary and cautious in the beginning, she soon began to see me as the normal me again. I no longer seemed dangerous to her. And as for Duke, well, that was complicated.

He was a different person than I remembered- but that wasn't exactly fair to say. I realized after my first month back at school that I had never even made an effort to truly _see_ Duke. All I saw was the shallow, easy going, and popular boy at high school. Never had I considered that perhaps he was a much deeper person. I found him to be a loyal and caring friend, I knew that I could depend on him for anything. I had even met his family, he brought me by for dinner once. I found myself laughing freely again. Duke proved that I had left my Narnian life behind, he was my bridge into this new life. But sometimes that bridge got rocky, especially after he asked me to prom.

I couldn't tell whether the boy was serious or not when he insisted that we go to on a proper date. Sometimes he laughed but others he said it so seriously that my heart pounded. Not in a love-struck way, but in a frightened manner. It scared me to even think of having another relationship. Not after Peter... Yes, as the days went by, it became easier to think of his name. Once I even managed to say his name aloud to my parents. They asked many things about my life in Narnia, my dad recorded everything, saying that he wanted to be able to go back and listen.

Time passed and my healed heart grew stronger and stronger. I was thriving and happy, something that I had not expected. Narnia would always be dear to me, but that part of my life was over. It was time that I moved on. It was what Peter would have wanted...

At least, that's what I hoped.

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"Oh shut up Kay." Anthony threw one of his french fries at me.

I ducked and laughed when it was Alyssa who was hit in the head. "What? All I'm saying is you should ask her already, prom is Friday after all."

"Exactly, she probably already has a date."

"Nonsense," I waved my hand impatiently. "I asked her yesterday, she turned down some boys true, but she's free. When I asked her why, she said she was waiting for you to ask her."

Anthony's face lit up, hope glimmered in his eyes. "R-Really?"

I winked at him, "Go get her tiger."

With a grin, Anthony stood from the table and strode to a pretty blonde girl. She sat two tables away, sitting with her younger sister and a few friends. I didn't even know her name, but I had overheard her speaking with her sister in the bathroom. I learned Anthony's interest was returned, but she was too shy to even approach him.

Our entire table sat silently, watching our friend eagerly. The boys seemed to expecting some sort of rejection, judging by their smirks, but us girls had a bit more faith. It felt good to sit among my teammates, it had taken three weeks for my accent to subside, but it was worth it. At home though, I couldn't help but retain my British twang... I sort of liked it.

Duke leaned forward across the table, he sat opposite of me. "Did you really talk to her?"

"Nope." I nibbled on my carrot.

"Do you even know her?"

"Nope." I nibbled some more.

"Do you know if she has a date?"

"Nope." Nibble.

"You're going to hell." Alyssa shook her head laughing.

"Just watch my magic." I winked at her.

Anthony was a deep red as he spoke to the girl, and soon her face was also flushed. But I kept my eyes focused on her mouth and was pleased when I could read her lips. 'Y-Yes.'

"She said yes." I declared.

"We can read lips too." Remarked Mark.

"Gosh, sorry I spoke." I muttered and returned to my nibbling. I continued, even when Anthony returned to his seat at the table, a silly grin on his face.

"She said yes." Anthony declared happily. He gave me a sly look, "So who are you going to prom with?"

My nibbling immediately stopped at the question. No one had asked me this yet, and I had prayed that it would not come up. I suppose I could not put it off any longer. Duke had asked me last week and I had said that I would have to think about it. Cruel yes, but it was true. I needed to think about the implications of going to prom with him... Not that I had a problem with Duke, but just the idea of being with a boy on such an outing.

It had been four months since I had come home.

Four months.

Was that enough to time to move onto another relationship? What was the expectation? Sure there were girls who didn't even wait to a day from their breakup to get another boyfriend... But that was wrong.

But was four months right? Was it right to leave Peter like that? Was I doing the right thing? These were questions that had filled my head ever since Duke had asked me...

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_"Did Alyssa tell you Will asked her to prom?" Duke munched on the popcorn. I licked my ice-cream and kept my eyes on the television screen. Duke had come over for the evening to watch a movie, my parents had gone out to some party. They invited me, but I didn't exactly feel like spending my Friday night with a room full of middle-aged people. _

_"Yeah, she called me earlier."_

_He laughed, "Did she also demand that you help her pick out a dress?"_

_"Of course," I smiled. "She was pretty excited, I didn't know that Will even liked her."_

_"Since summer actually." Duke suddenly took a deep breath. "You can probably pick out a dress too."_

_"Why?" I remained oblivious to the red that was coming to his cheeks._

_"Because I'd like it if you came to prom with me."_

_The ice-cream stopped in mid-air, never reaching my tongue. My mouth shut quickly, with no words in response. It took several moments, but finally it opened again. My words were slow and cautious. "C-Can I have some time to think?"_

_"Sure." Duke sounded flustered, but understanding._

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"I'm actually going with Duke." I answered casually.

Anthony's eyes went wide. "You and Keelings?"

Duke, who sat besides Anthony, pretended to be hurt. "What's that supposed to mean?" But he was smiling brightly, he seemed very happy by my answer.

"We all thought it'd never happen, that's all."

His words made me feel guilty. I just hoped four months was long enough. Besides, it wasn't a date, just a dance.


	6. Chapter 5

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**Chapter 5**

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I watched Prince Caspian today and I got very excited. My fingers are just itching to write dialogue between Kay and Caspian. So here's another update- bringing us closer to Kay's return to Narnia.

_Now enjoy:_

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It seemed wrong to wear this dress.

It was beautiful to be sure, but it wasn't what I was used to. As a Princess, I was well accustomed to balls and dances... But the dresses in Narnia had been much more medieval and modest, but gorgeous all the same. The style completely different- and better in my opinion. This dress exposed my back and shoulders and flattered my chest, but it did extend all the way down to my ankles.

I felt like a traitor in this dress.

I felt that tonight I let Peter die in my heart. Was I replacing him with Duke? No, that could never happen. But still, here I was: Hair done, makeup complete, and dress marvelous. I felt pretty, but I felt so damn ugly. Traitors were ugly.

The doorbell rung, and my chest tightened. Suddenly, four months didn't seem like enough.

"Kay! The limo is here!" Mom shouted from downstairs. She most likely held a camera in her hand.

Grabbing my chic purse, I forced myself away from the mirror. With each step I could feel him fall behind. With each step I felt my love for him be pushed down. With each step I became an available young woman. I no longer was bound by heart to him.

"You painted your face." Dad was the first to speak when I walked down the stairs. Duke and Mom were simply smiling at me, but Dad was frowning.

I pulled a face, "It's called makeup and don't tell me I put too much on- Mom did it."

"And I did a splendid job." Mom beamed and lifted a camera up. "Picture time."

Embarrassed, I moved towards Duke. I took in his appearance and could feel heat coming up to my cheeks. It didn't seem possible, but he was even more handsome. Alyssa and girls had always referred to him as 'hot', but they were wrong. The word wasn't accurate, his bone structure was too well defined and eyes too gentle. Duke Keelings was handsome... And of all people, he had chosen me. A fact that both flattered and frightened me.

"Would it be incredibly cheesy for me to say that you look beautiful?" Duke said smiling, but with red cheeks.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see Dad roll his eyes. Mom gave him a hard look. Doing my best to ignore my parents, I shook my head. "Not cheesy at all. You look very nice too."

The redness darkened on his face. Nervously, he brought his hands from behind his back and exposed a clear box. Inside was a lovely blue flowered corsage. I couldn't help but grin, it so was pretty and soft. Duke opened the box and I knew what would happen next. Awkwardly, I held my arm out, allowing him to place the corsage around my wrist. He did and I noted that his hands slightly trembled.

Trying to lighten the mood I joked, "And you say boys aren't prepared for sensitive stuff. You seem to be doing just fine."

It worked, because Duke's posture relaxed. I knew that the worst was over and the night would be fun. "Well I can't take all the credit, Alyssa made sure I chose a flower that matched your dress."

With my corsage securely on, I pointed to his tie grinning. "And she probably chose that blue tie right?"

He winced, "Yeah."

"Well I think you look very handsome." Mom cut in. "Come on then, I need some pictures."

I groaned, but Duke seemed happy enough to wrap his arm around my waist and pose. We smiled.

_Flash._

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That's what my life turned into. A _flash_.

One moment I'm posing for a picture. Then...

_Flash!_

I'm cheering on Duke as he plays his last water polo game in high school. Then...

_Flash!_

I'm cooped up in my room, studying for finals. Then...

_Flash!_

I'm clapping as the seniors graduate at their ceremony..

_Flash!_

I'm waking up to the first day of summer.

Junior year was over before I even had a chance to blink, leaving me to miss the rest of the water polo season. I didn't miss much, because the season had been coming to an end when I was whisked away to another world. I remained Captain, but didn't put one toe into that pool. Yearbooks were signed, pictures taken, emails exchanged, and kisses given. I took part in all these- even the last. I hadn't meant to, but on the last day of school Duke had surprised me.

At the graduation ceremony, I sat with his parents and sister in the bleachers, and watched with pride as he threw his dark blue cap into the air. It was sad though to know Duke would be moving on to university- but he promised to visit on weekends. I would miss him, but I didn't dare delve into the reason why I would miss him. It scared me, because I knew that it wasn't just friendship. I was lonely and tired, I knew what it was to love and I missed that bliss. Duke was everything I could ask for, and I doubted in the modern world he was the closest thing to a prince. My worry turned into confusion when he walked straight up to me after the ceremony was over and planted one on me. It was not forceful or angry but rather soft and gentle.

That had been three days ago, and I hadn't seen or heard from him since then. No doubt he was busy packing and sorting things out for his new life at university, but I dreaded our next conversation. We would have to discuss what were.

Friends?

Or more?

I groaned, not wanting to even think about it, and rolled out of bed. Lately my room had become a swamp of clothes- I still had trouble picking clothes for the day. So, when I rolled out of the bed and went flying to the ground, there was no pain. A pile of perfectly clean clothes broke the fall.

It was Saturday and I had no plans, so I decided to stay in my pajamas.

I checked my watch, it was 11 AM.

I took the stairs slowly, for once there was no rush. It was the first day of summer after all, I had 2 1/2 months of freedom ahead of me. Ah yes, life is good.

The telephone rang.

It took two rings, but then I could hear Mom pick it up in the kitchen. As I walked towards the doorway to the room, her voice grew louder.

"Oh hello Alyssa!" A pause. "No, she's still asleep, do you want me to wake her up?"

I yawned as I walked into the kitchen, my hand extended and ready for the phone.

"Actually, speak of the devil. Here she is." Mom handed it to me and returned to her magazine.

"'Ello." I mumbled tiredly.

"You lazy fart." She greeted, sounding perfectly awake. "What are you doing today?"

"Ummm..." I thought about it for a few seconds. "Brush my teeth, eat, watch TV, eat again, watch some more TV, and then sleep. Why?"

Alyssa sighed, "Why am I friends with a loser?"

"What do you want?" I snapped, not really in the mood for playful banter.

She wasn't bothered by my bite. Her tone remained pleasant. "My aunt is having some fancy party for her anniversary to her fourth husband... And I was thinking..."

"That you would drag me along so you wouldn't have to be the only teenager there?"

"Yup."

I opened the fridge and pulled out the milk. "What time?"

"You'll come then?" Alyssa sounded very relieved.

"Might as well." I muttered, "Otherwise I'd never hear the end of how boring it was without me."

"I'll pick you up at three then?"

I made a face, not that she could see it. "Eww, in three hours? I just got up!"

"Snooze you loose. Wear something nice, bye." She hung up.

Putting the phone down, I prepared some cereal. I munched on it moodily and Mom noticed. "What's the matter?"

"I have to go some fancy party with Alyssa with loads of adults." I explained.

"Sounds... fun." Mom didn't seem very confident though.

"The things I do for my friends." I replied.

Three hours later I was showered, dressed, and ready. I had to call Alyssa back for a definition of 'nice' before she unhappily explained that it was _very_ fancy. So I had to put on my only cocktail dress. It was black and simple, but all the same, I might as well been naked. I'd grown very modest in Narnia- maybe I should be a nun.

I left my hair down, straight. There was no one to impress and even if there was, I couldn't be bothered to curl it. I kept makeup moderate and cursed the creator of heels.

At 3:10 Alyssa honked outside.

I managed to hurry down the stairs and out the door before my mom could even get the camera out. Why did she think fancy occasions needed a photo shooting session? I was quite proud that I made it all the way to the car without falling flat on my face, these were my highest heels. A death trap is you ask me.

As I slid into the passenger seat, we assessed each other.

"Nice dress." I told her sniggering. Judging how brightly pink it was, there was doubt that her mother chose it.

"Nice heels." She sniffed and began to drive.

"Where's this party anyways? For all I know, we're driving to Canada for this thing."

"They've rented out a hall in a hotel downtown." Alyssa said. "Apparently this is 'the one' for my Aunt Susan, she thinks that this is the real deal."

My body went rigid. "S-Susan?"

Alyssa shifted uneasily in her seat, "Yeah that's her name. Sorry, I didn't mean to remind you of-"

"It's okay." I tried changing the subject. "So how many years have they been together? A party like this means 50 years or something."

"1 year." Alyssa laughed. "Mom's just proud that a man could handle her sister for this long, the other husbands never made it past seven months."

"Wow." I let out a whistle.

"But Aunt Susan," She gave me a side glance to make sure I didn't wince. Content when I merely blinked, she continued, "Is very cool. She's rich now you know, took half of what past husband's owned. She spoils me rotten."

"Hurrah for rich aunts."

"Be nice, we're here." Alyssa warned me as we pulled into the driveway of the hotel. The valet boys rushed to open our doors, and their effort wasn't wasted, because the two of us stepped out. I felt exposed and vulnerable when they took in our outfits with pleased eyes.

As soon as Alyssa had handed over the keys, I grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the entrance doors. I didn't want to linger with the young men staring.

Once we were inside, she took the lead and we made our way to one of the big halls. As soon as I heard the jazz music, I knew we'd be the youngest guests.

"Just stick by my side and hopefully none of my drunk relatives will hit on you."

I rolled my eyes.

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"Okay Alyssa, I think it's time we went home." I struggled to hold my friend up. If I let go, she'd fall onto the floor.

"Buuuuuut I dooooonn't waaaannnnaaa." Her words were slurred and messy.

"Oh my god you are so drunk." I hissed. "Where the hell did your parents go?"

"Hooooommmmeeee!" She giggled.

I raised an eyebrow, "Is that why you started drinking an hour ago?"

Without any hint of remorse, she nodded.

Sighing, I tightened my hold on her. "Come on, you'll have to spend the night at mine. Let's just notice they don't notice your hangover tomorrow."

We made slow progress, but I managed to get us out of the hall. Equally drunk relatives kept trying to get us to dance or even kiss them in the case of one uncle- but we escaped. I had given up on my heels three hours ago, and now held them in my free hand. Thankfully, the floor of the hotel was a clean granite. It felt cold.

As soon as we were outside, I felt uncomfortable. The same valet workers stood at the ready, and one was smirking at the sight of us.

He nodded to a second man who dashed out of sight to get the car, then approached us. As he came closer, I noted several things. His name tag read 'Chris', he was probably the same height as Duke, and he smelled like weed. Not a very professional worker either, his uniform wasn't even ironed.

"Your friend have too much fun?" His voice was deep and too confident. The smirk on his face annoyed me.

I simply nodded and continued walking forward, waiting for the car.

"How about you?" Chris walked along with me, so close that his arm brushed against mine. I took a step away. "You party hard?"

"Obviously not if I'm about to drive." My face was stern.

Chris raised an eyebrow, "Your british or something?"

"No."

"Oh," He seemed confused for a moment, but shrugged it off. "You sure you're not drunk? I wouldn't want you getting hurt now... How about you let me drive you home?"

"No thank you." I was relieved to see Alyssa's dark blue car come into view.

"I think you'd have fun." Chris whispered.

The car pulled to stop in front of me and the second valet exited. He came around to the passenger door and opened it for me. Unlike his fellow worker, he held a professional manner and kept a blank face. Although, he made no question as to why his co-worker was at my side rather than minding customers' keys.

Hastily I put a giggling Alyssa into the passenger seat and buckled her in. As I bent over to do this, I gasped when something touched my behind.

Chris had given it a pinch and chuckled.

I didn't move for a second, but when I did it was so quick what he didn't have time to prepare himself. I turned around with my leg swinging in the air, a sickening crack sounded as it made contact with his knee. Chris yelped as he fell to the ground, clutching his broken leg.

"Y-You little bitc-"

"Don't you ever touch a woman like that." I turned to his stunned partner. "If you don't get him fired then I will, I'll be calling tomorrow to complain."

Trying to keep a cool head, I closed the passenger door and calmly walked to the driver's side. I tossed my heels in the backseat and drove away, my fingers clutching the steering wheel so tightly that they were white.

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The next morning I woke up in a strange place. I was lying on the bathroom floor, still in my dress. Memories flooded into my mind quickly, giving me a slight headache.

That's right. I came home, had Dad carry a passed out Alyssa up into my bed, and went into the bathroom to cry. I guess I must have fallen asleep after a while. Standing up, I took a look at my reflection in the mirror. I looked like crap. My makeup was smeared all about my eyes, hair tangled, and I looked sickly.

Someone knocked timidly on the door. "Dolphin, honey, you in there?"

No point in hiding. Sighing, I walked to the door and opened it. "Morning Dad."

He frowned when he saw me, "D-Did you sleep in here?"

"Yes."

His frowned deepened. "Were you drunk last night?"

It was my turn to frown. "No."

"Then why did you spend the night on the bathroom floor?"

"I had a rough night dad, that's all." I said simply.

Dad reached out and gave me a hug. "I know, Alyssa told me what happened."

I smiled despite the situation, "I'm proud that she can even remember."

"I think she'd remember her best friend beating up a perverted man." Dad said seriously, pulling away. "I've given the police a call and they're handling it."

"Okay." I was too tired to ask questions. The fact that the man would face justice satisfied me, hopefully he would never harass another woman. I was just glad that I could defend myself, who knows what else he would have done...

"Alyssa is downstairs," Dad paused. "I think she called Duke to tell him what happened."

"Oh great," I mumbled and brushed past him. "Tell her I'll be done, I'm just going to change."

"Good idea." He said under his breath and went down the stairs.

After tossing the wrinkled cocktail dress to the floor, I put on sweats and a t-shirt. Returning to the bathroom I washed my face and gave my hair a good brush. Feeling decent, I went downstairs.

Everyone was in the kitchen and I wasn't surprised to see that Duke had joined the party.

"Morning." I said as normally as possible.

They stared at me, except for Dad who carried on reading his newspaper. I loved that man, he was always the quickest to drop a subject.

"H-How are you?" Mom questioned.

I served myself a glass of water and looked at her, Alyssa, and Duke. "I am perfectly fine, I've had worse done to me. Need I remind you all that I have faced torture? A simple man and his lack of manners isn't enough to scare me."

Mom seemed to relax at my words, because she nodded and smiled. Like my father, she knew when to drop a subject, and so she continued making pancakes.

Alyssa and Duke though exchanged dark looks. Before I knew it, Duke was holding onto my arm and took me to the living room out of earshot of my parents. Alyssa followed quietly.

"Are you okay?" He demanded.

I pulled my arm away from me and stared at him levelly. Duke had never been angry with me, and I didn't like it, his tone worried me. He sounded anxious and frustrated. In what I hoped was a calm voice, I replied, "Did you not just hear me? I said-"

"Yeah I heard." Duke cut me off. "But I know you were crying in the bathroom last night. So don't tell me that what happened didn't scare you."

I glared at Alyssa. Traitor. I thought she'd gone to bed before I started to cry.

"I am fine." I said clearly and confidently. "I was crying because I was angry, not scared."

Duke gave me a doubtful look.

But I was telling the truth. I tried to explain, "You don't know how it is for me to know that other women can't defend themselves. I know how to take care of myself, but what about other girls out there? I was just pissed off knowing that Chris might have hurt some girl just because she doesn't know how to throw a punch."

"Or kick his knee backwards so that the bone shatters." Alyssa remarked. "You're going to have to show me how you do that because it can come in handy."

I pursed my lips at how lightly she was taking this.

"Look, I just want to make sure you're okay." Duke had calmed down. He lifted up his hands and caressed my cheeks. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the soft touch...

"I'm fine." I whispered.

"Good, get dressed then. I'm taking you out for lunch."


	7. Chapter 6

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**Chapter 6**

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No commentary this time. I'm too excited about this chapter. Let me know what you think about the twist!

_Now enjoy:_

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The burger joint was full of teenagers and college students, the oldest people were a couple who sat a booth with their two young children. The smell of burgers and cheese filled the air and every now and then I could hear meat sizzle on the grill. I sat across the table from Duke, contently sipping my root beer float.

"Mom wants you over for dinner." Duke said, starting conversation. We hadn't spoken since we left my house.

"Should I be worried?" I asked.

He smiled, "No... But she wants to have a proper meal with my 'girlfriend'." Duke watched my reaction very carefully, I could feel his eyes searching my face and eyes.

Already prepared for this, I took a deep breath. On the drive here, I thought about where I stood in terms of having a relationship.. I was certain of what I wanted. "Do you call me your girlfriend?"

"I want to." He admitted and nervously smiled. "But what do you want?"

To convey my sincerity, I looked straight into his warm eyes. "I want us to have a strong friendship no matter what... But I also know that lately I've felt like I've wanted more from you. Y-You have to understand Duke that I fell in love and was even willing to marry... _him_."

Duke didn't need clarification on who I meant. His eyes narrowed though, "That coward _murdered_ you."

My heart clenched and I couldn't breathe. Blood drained from my face. Slowly, I started to stand up, and when I was on my feet I realized I was trembling.

Realizing his mistake, Duke blanched. "I'm so sorry Kay. I didn't mean-"

"You will never be half the man that Peter is." I said coldly, gaining control of my breathing again. With that said, I strode away from the table, earning some strange looks. I was furious and out of the corner of my eye, I watched as flames rose from the grill, cooking the hamburger meat. An evil smile came to my face- all these silly, weak humans had no idea what power I once had... I could engulf their world in flames... If they made me angry.

And dear Aslan, Duke Keelings had made me angry.

But there was no flame inside me and so I was disappointed when the grill's flames died down.

Just another reminder that my life was normal again. **I** was normal again.

I made it out to the parking lot when Duke caught up with me. He grabbed hold of my arm. "Kay please listen-"

"No you listen!" I hissed, spinning around and glaring. "You, a silly boy, could never understand love. You have many years to find out- but I have lived and loved. I have no regrets and never will, because I know that Peter would still love if it had been me to had killed him. He was a boy just like you when he came to Narnia, but war and responsibility changed him into a man. I can only hope that one day you can be half as decent as him! Hah! And to think that I even considered letting you have my heart! I should have been more careful- I know how delicate my heart is. It's been broken twice already."

Duke looked desperate, his hold on me did not loosen. "Please Kay, I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you..."

I began to pull away. His grip tightened. "No, please listen to me. I listened to you when you asked me to, I listened to your story about Narnia. Now you need to listen to me!"

"Fine." I agreed, but bitterly.

He spoke quickly, probably scared that I would simply walk away before he could say everything. "I spoke before thinking and I am so, so sorry. You know that I would never be so cruel- but please, think about it. I've liked you for a long time Kay. I really have, and I may not have been terrific at displaying it, but I've always known that you were different from all the other girls. I was just too stupid to realize that I needed to stop being Mr. Popular to have you... And now I learn that I'm too late. Some man- who shouldn't even logically exist!- has snatched you up. No how the hell am I supposed to react to that? Especially when you say that you were willing to marry the guy! He's a fucking King for heaven's sake! Royalty! Now tell me, how am I supposed to match up to that-"

I kissed him lightly on the mouth before he could say anymore. Stunned, he stare down at me. I smiled sadly, "I'm sorry, it was wrong to compare you to Peter. It seems I'm wrong, you're a man now too... Strange how much can change in four months."

Duke nodded and bent forward for another kiss- but I ducked out of the way. "Please, I don't think we should start anything serious. I acknowledge that there's... attraction between us, but I don't think I've let go of him yet. Not completely... Four months has helped, but I still feel wrong if I were to say that I could be with you happily."

"You need time." He said quietly, but not angrily.

"Yes," I murmured. "I am sorry."

Surprising me, Duke placed a chaste kiss on my forehead. "It's okay, I'll wait. Going to college makes it easier to take things slowly since I'll be able to visit only during weekends."

"So," I laughed lightly. "Are we courting?"

Duke grinned, "Do you realize how medieval that sounds? I believe you mean dating Kay, come on now. Keep up with the lingo!"

I rolled my eyes. "Pardon me, I meant dating."

He reached out and held my hand, something that I did not protest but rather enjoyed. His hand was large, warm, and unexpectedly soft. A welcoming comfort. "No, I wouldn't say dating... But I wouldn't say we're just friends anymore. I think we're somewhere in between."

"Okay," I sighed. "We're complicated."

"Yes... But I'm happy with that. Are you?"

I didn't feel guilty at my answer, but I was sad. "Yes... I am."

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"Duke, I don't want to do this anymore." I took a step away from the pool. Duke's family had it built a few years back, giving him plenty of opportunities to practice for water polo.

He kept his hand on my waist and gently pushed me forward. "It's okay to be scared, we'll stay in the shallow end for today. You won't get hurt, I promise."

"W-What if-"

"You can't drown in the shallow end Kayla." Duke smiled. "The water only comes up to your waist."

"T-That's not the problem." I felt tears brimming my eyes. "I... I can't do this... Not after that storm! Water looks peaceful and welcoming, but it can turn on you Duke! It can become your death, throwing and snapping your body like a twig-"

"Okay," He intervened, frowning. "That was open sea and you were wounded! God Kayla! You're forgetting who you are. You're Captain of the water polo team- you're a born swimmer! I've never seen anyone with such strength in the water."

"I want to go home." I declared, his words meaningless.

"Trust me." His arm tightened, "I will never let go. I promise."

We stood at the edge of the pool, and gingerly I lifted my leg. Slowly, and grabbing onto Duke tightly, I put my foot into the water...

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**Six Months Later...**

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"Oh," Mom giggled. "This is a strange sight."

And what a strange sight indeed.

Alyssa and I sat on the couch in my living room, looking very bored in our evening gowns. Well, I wore an evening gown at least, she had chosen more of a cocktail dress for our Winter Formal dance. Only to be excepted, I was always the prude. I liked my dress though, it was new. Mom wouldn't let me go to Winter Formal in my prom dress from last year- apparently it was against the low of womanhood. It was a nice change though, I had to admit, because it was much more modern than my modest prom gown. I had been home for a whole year... I was a modern teenager again.

Narnia hardly crossed my mind anymore.

To be sure I dreamed of my adventures and friends often- but during the day I never felt remorse or pain for leaving it all behind. I was happy with my life here and Duke had helped me move on. Completely. I would always love Peter, I knew this perfectly well. And although my heart was still mine... It seemed that fate would give it to another man soon. Duke and I had been together for six months now, but we only kissed twice. And this didn't bother either of us, in fact, it seemed to help us focus on developing our relationship in a more mental way. In a way I felt guilty for this, but I had grown closer to Duke than I had ever with Alyssa. Not that she seemed to mind, she had Will these days.

And it was Will that made the sight 'strange'. He stood in front of our television in suit and tie, oblivious to the world around him: including an annoyed girlfriend. All his attention focused on the rowdy wrestling on the screen- the volume so high that the ground beneath the couch vibrated.

Dad walked into the room covering his ears. "Will you turn that down?!"

"What?!" I shouted.

Instead of responding, he simply walked up the television and brought the volume so low that it was nearly muted. He gave Will a hard look, "You have ladies present."

Will grinned easily, "Sorry Mr. Steen." Then, he turned to Alyssa.

She frowned at him.

Before an argument could commence, the front door opened. In stepped a very attractive Duke, the tuxedo he wore fitted his body very well. It was new and a shade darker than the one he had worn at prom. Of course, his blue tie matched my flowing dress.

I wore silk and it shined brilliantly, embracing the lights of the room. The design was completely modern and striking- my front was covered and only a hint of my bosom in view- but the back was another story. Two straps met at my upper back, creating an 'x' design. Below, my back remained exposed... But the blue material wrapped around my waist to cover my lower back and legs, a modest slit on my right side. (w w w . p r o m g i r l . n e t / p r o m d r e s s 7 7 2 . h t m l)

Duke shook his head after taking a few moments to view me, "You can't wear that."

"Why?" I bit my lip, did he not like it?

"Because as soon as we step into the room, boys will try to take you away." He said simply.

I scoffed, "Hardly. After they see me trip and fall in these horrid things-" I pointed down at my heels. "They won't come near me."

Mom rolled her eyes. "Can I just take pictures before you two start?"

"Okay!" Alyssa exclaimed, always ready to pose.

It took fifteen minutes and about ten thousand photos, but Dad finally took the camera away from his wife. With a quick wave, I walked out the front door and into the chilly air. Immediately goose bumps covered my arms, but I didn't care. Will's mustang would warm me right back up.

Thankfully, Will was a good driver.

Duke and I sat in the back, holding hands. We always did, it was our own way of expressing affection. I held my small handbag in my lap, and nearly dropped it when I got out of the car. My heels betrayed me and sent me flying to the ground, but thankfully Duke had managed to grab my shoulders and hold me up.

Some freshman arrived in limos, but I only laughed at their youthful faces. Limos were reserved for prom in my eyes, this was just Winter Formal. Prom wasn't for another few months, followed swiftly with graduation. College applications were sent out... My future was finally happening. High school was coming to an end.

"What's the matter?" Duke gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "You look sad."

I sighed, "Just thinking about the future."

He smiled knowingly. "It's scary to be a senior isn't it? Everything is about to change... Enjoy high school Kayla."

We presented our tickets at the entrance to the great hall, some teachers who were serving as chaperones greeted Duke pleasantly, along with several other students. Last year's Prom King had returned! I sniggered when I caught some girls giving him a dreamy look. Freshman.

As soon as we entered the hall, I grinned. Prom already looked better than last year- the decorations were much better and it seemed that the school had hired a decent DJ. Fast beats boomed through the hall, the speakers massive and intimidating. We had arrived an hour late and so the party was in full swing. The dance floor was crowded, and before I knew it, we had joined them.

We must have spent at half the night up there- throwing our hands in the air, shaking our hips, and just laughing as we let go of ourselves. Alyssa had completely ruined her hair by the time we decided to take a break- Will had loosened his tie and seemed very worn out. Duke was flushed and couldn't stop jumping up and down like a crazed man... Me? I just couldn't stop laughing. It was addictive to laugh, and plus I hadn't been this happy in a long time.

Everyone I knew, the people I had grown up with, was here. They weren't the simple toddlers I had once knew- no, instead I found myself surrounded by young, intelligent adults.

"When did we grow up?" I inquired, genuinely interested.

The four of us sat down at an empty table, breathing heavily and trying to catch our breathe. Alyssa was the first to speak, "I was just wondering the same thing."

"It's freaky isn't it." Remarked Will thoughtfully.

"Wait till college." Teased Duke. "It really hits you... You're not a kid anymore."

I slapped his arm, "Oi! Let us enjoy the bloody night. I can barely handle high school at the moment."

Silence ensued. I tilted my head, "What?"

Will looked puzzled. "D-Did you just have a British accent?"

I shrugged, "I can do a pretty good imitation."

Giving me a strange look, Will let it go. But Duke and Alyssa sent me warning looks- I had accidently slipped. But old habits die hard.

"I think they're going to start serving dinner." Duke declared and just a few seconds later the music died away, much to the disappointment of the dancers. A girl took a microphone and stood on a small stage, I recognized her to be the student body president. A friend of Alyssa if I wasn't mistaken. "H-Hey!" The girl waited for people's moans of complain to end. "My name is Kimberly and as President of the Student Body I would like to officially welcome everyone to Winter Formal!"

Cheers roared, people clapped, a few rowdy footballers even whistled loudly.

Kimberly then directed everyone to find seats and soon dinner was served. It was a nice enough meal, but I was very amused when I noticed that many were impressed by the 'fine' dining. I was a bit biased though, I knew what real feasts were like... I kept these passing thoughts to myself.

Once desert was served, Kimberly took the stage again. Her face beamed and it was clear she was very excited. "Alright people! It's that time... Let's find out who our Prom King and Queen are!"

Our school had decided to try something new. Instead of finding out our King and Queen on the night of Prom, it'd be announced at Winter Formal. That way, the royal couple would actually have a grand entrance at Prom, already knowing the winners. Strange I know, but whatever, it was student council's call.

I nudged Duke, "Sorry, but I think you're about to be replaced."

He pretending to feint.

A few teachers joined Kimberly on stage, they held two crowns and an envelope. A past English teacher of mine handed Kimberly the white envelope. "Annnndddd...!" Kimberly opened and withdrew a sheet of paper from inside. She paused a moment, most likely thinking it added to the apprehension. Not for me, I simply leaned against my chair and waited until I had to clap for the winners. The only time I'd ever be excited for this announcement would be one of my friends winning- Duke had already done that, Will was too quiet to be well known, but Alyssa had a chance.

"Our King is Jacob Troy!"

No surprise there. Jacob was a nice guy and a varsity soccer player, we had Math together this year. He was pretty smart too- I watched as he stood from his table across the hall, giving his date a kiss on the cheek before walking up to the stage. His cheeks were flushed and I laughed. Jacob was actually embarrassed! Well, I didn't blame him, it was a stupid title anyways if you personally ask me-

"Jacob meet your new Queen: Makayla Steen!"

I started to clap dully for the winners... Wait. WHAT?

"What the hell?" I gasped. Duke leaned over and kissed my cheek, before giving me an encouraging push. I stared at him with wide eyes, "D-Did she just say my name?"

Alyssa stopped her crazed clapping. "Are you retarded or something?"

Will stood up and pulled me out of my seat. "Go! Get up there!"

I wrinkled my nose, but complied. My feet dragged as I walked up to the stage, doing my best to ignore everyone's eyes. Damn it, this is not what I wanted. I hadn't even known that I would be considered for Queen!

Oh my god.

Queen.

The title sent chills up my spine. I had already had my turn at being royalty, and I was very satisfied with the status of 'Princess'. I'd never considered being a Queen unless... Unless I had married him. And now, a year later, I found myself being crowned!

Talk about ironic.

I already thought it was weird that the only relationships had been with Kings... One was King of a country. The other King of a dance. How strange.

I didn't even realize what was happening, but next thing I knew, I was being twirled by a blushing Jacob. He was no dancer and when he stepped on my foot, I woke up from my daze. I looked about me startled. We were on the dance floor, alone, for the traditionally dance between King and Queen. The lights had dimmed throughout the hall, except for one that followed us around the floor.

"Let me lead." I whispered. "Just step twice to the right, then once backwards. It's a simple dance."

Jacob blinked, "Okay."

And soon we actually looked like we knew what we were doing. Well, I did know what I was doing- but Jacob had no clue. His feet were only good at one thing: kicking a ball into a net.

He gave me a grateful smile, "Hey, where did you learn to dance like this?"

"Lessons." I lied.

"Wow that's so cool-"

A strange, foreign sound blared into my ears.

"Ah!" I exclaimed, jumping in fright. What the devil was _that_?

Jacob paused, but started to move again. He was caught off guard, "A-Are you okay?"

I paled. "D-Did you hear that?!"

"What?" He glanced around us. All he could hear was the soft music playing.

The horn sounded again.

This time, I didn't jump. I simply gasped. "That!"

"Whoa, Kay, what are you talking about?"

"That horn!" I snapped.

Mumbles of confusion broke through the audience... People were noticing that something was wrong. Hearing them, I closed my eyes and took a deep breathe. Calm down... I must be hearing things. I'm just not in my right mind-

The horn called again.

My eyes snapped open. "Susan."

Before Jacob could speak, I pulled away from him and ran. I ran to my friends, who all stood up at startled.

"What are you-" Will began.

I paid no heed to him. I only spoke to Alyssa and Duke. "I just heard Susan's horn. Her hunting horn. Three times."

They sprang into action. Alyssa turned to Will and linked arms with him. "Come on, we need to leave."

"What?" He protested. "Why? Why do-"

Her voice turned dangerously hard. "Trust me, we need to leave. Please."

Will assessed his girlfriend's expression, then nodded. They marched towards the exit. Meanwhile, Duke had taken my hand and held it firmly, I knew he wouldn't let go. We followed the other pair out of the hall- which was now turning into chaos. Kimberly was shouting my name, desperately trying not to lose control of the night. For a second I felt guilty- I could only imagine how much time and effort she had spent on organizing tonight. Students were standing and talking loudly, anxiously as they watched us leave. Teachers were beginning to walk after us- alarmed.

The horn blew again.

Everything then happened in the span of twenty seconds.

I froze and gaped. I stood not a dozen feet away from the entrance doors. Duke stopped as well, but Alyssa and Will passed through the doors. They turned around on the other side, and waited for us.

"Come on Kay!" Alyssa saw the approaching teachers.

Using my hand that held my handbag, I pointed at the door frightened. "The horn, it's coming from the doorway."

Duke went rigid. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Alyssa stared for a moment, but then blanched. "Y-You don't think... Oh god."

Now very worried, Will bit his lip, but continued to hold the door open. "What's going on?"

I looked at the young man at my side, "Let go of my hand Duke."

His eyes were glimmering from the moonlight that spilled into the hall from outside. "No."

Alyssa took a step toward me. I screamed, "Don't!"

She froze.

"Don't walk through it again!" I pleaded. "I don't know if it'll take you too!"

"What the hell is she talking about?" Will demanded.

"Don't do it." Alyssa begged. "Don't leave again."

"I don't think I have a choice. I'm being called..."

"I won't let go of your hand."

"You must!" I cried. "I can't have you risk your life-"

"Hey! Your four! Get back here!" A teacher shouted angrily. His voice was close- very close.

"Now or never Kayla." Duke smiled at me, his voice tender. We took a step and entered the doorway.

The last thing I heard was Alyssa's scream, "NOOOOOO!"

_Everything changed._

Cars were replaced with shrubs.

Buildings replaced with trees.

Sidewalk replaced with grass.

The forest of _Narnia_ engulfed me. I was back...

And I wasn't alone.

"Holy crap." Duke trembled, but he never let my hand go.


	8. Chapter 7

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**Chapter 7**

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La da da da... I am really liking this story. It's much more fun to write.

Right, I totally forgot to explain the whole prom king/queen thing at Winter Formal. I went back and explained it in the last chapter.

_Now enjoy:_

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We stood there, holding hands, with absolutely no idea what to say... what to do... what to think.

"We're in another world." Duke stated. He so in so much shock that he sounded calm, as if this sort of thing happened everyday.

"Yes." I whispered.

"We're in Narnia."

"Yes."

"You and..." Duke shook his head in disbelief, "me."

"I don't know how, but yes, you're here too." Pausing, I took in our surroundings. "May I have my hand back?"

"Yeah." Now, he sounded breathless, as if he had just run seven miles.

As soon as I had my hand back, I bent forward, and awkwardly pulled off my heels. The grass was soft and moist, it felt very pleasant against my warm feet. Free to move about, without the threat of my heels sinking in a soft patch of dirt, I walked around a bit, searching the ground.

"There are no paths or trails." I announced, slightly put off by that. "Judging by the amount of sunlight coming through the canopy I'd guess its early morning. The grass is still wet from the morning mist. Come Duke, we need to get moving. The sooner we find people, the better."

Oh my word, I was in Narnia...

I was back... Back to my second home... But _why_? _How_? Did Peter and the others know I was back? Would they be happy? I berated myself immediately for this thought- of course they would be. I couldn't even fathom what I would say to them- especially to Peter. How did he feel about... us? Surely my death still would not haunt him daily- I could only hope that he had the strength to carry on. He had a country and our people to take care of, there was no time to mourn. Suddenly, I felt my stomach flop. Duke. What would they say about Duke? Oh Aslan... What would _Peter_ say about Duke?

Speaking of Duke, he had not said anything in a while.

Turning around, I checked on my companion. "Duke? What's the- Oh."

He was holding his head in his hands, looking very distraught. Duke was going into shock.

Quickly, I yanked his hands away from his face. Then I poked in hard in the chest, "Oi! Keep it together Duke, I need you sane. If you haven't noticed, I'm in a gown, you in a tux, we have no supplies besides what's in my purse, and are weaponless. We need to find people who can direct us to Cair Paravel... Peter will welcome us."

Duke was staring blankly, but as soon as he heard Peter's name, he snapped out of his daze. A determined expression came over his face. He then nodded solemnly, "Okay."

I narrowed my eyes, "Are you... fine?"

He grinned, "Of course. It's just different to what I expected- it's one thing to hear about crossing into another world, and another to actually do it."

Glad to see that was good-humored again, I laughed. "I suppose you're right, come on, we need move."

I grabbed his hand and pulled him along. We walked for two hours, with no luck. The forest was endless, despite the fact that only walked through a straight line. What forest was this? I failed to recognize it... As time passed, I began to worry.

"Something's not right."

"What?" Duke asked, instantly on guard. He glanced around us fervently.

"Where are my people?" I whispered. "Narnians are abundant in the forest, they thrive here! Dryads! Please, come out and speak to me!"

The trees remained... well, trees. They did not move nor did their spirits come out to meet me.

"Please! I am friend not foe- Princess Makayla, Guardian of our country!" I called desperately. My voice echoed through the vast maze of forestry, but still, no one answered.

Duke squeezed my hand, "Kayla, it's okay. Maybe they're just asleep or something-"

I gave him an incredulous look. "Dryads do not sleep. The do not respond when they have hidden themselves, retreating deep into their trees... And they only do that in times of great fear. Aslan and Lucy awoke them after the time of Jadis."

He frowned, "So what's scared them? Obviously something did."

"I don't know... and that frightens me. Dryads are fiercely loyal to Peter, they wouldn't just abandon him like this. Perhaps some new enemy has threatened Narnia after I... left." I cringed at that. "But what in the name of Aslan could scare them so much that they'd do this? Surely-"

Duke stiffened. "L-Listen!"

My mouth shut immediately.

There was no breeze in the forest to rustle the leaves and there were no birds to sing their happy tunes. Duke and I had been the only beings to make noise, but now... now we weren't alone.

There were three voices, all male, and they were approaching. Quickly. I grabbed Duke's arm and pulled him down with me, until we hid behind a large shrub. I signaled him to remain quiet, he nodded.

A male, who sounded almost older and wise, seemed to be pleading. "I just think we should wait for the Queens and Kings." A pause here. "Fine! Go then! See if the others will be as understanding!"

My eyebrows lifted. Queens and Kings? The Pevensies! But who was waiting for them? Waiting for them to do what? And what 'others'? What the hell was going on?

A second voice sniggered. "Maybe I'll come with you! I'd like to see you explain things to the minotaurs."

I could recognize the voice of a black dwarf anywhere... Now I was worried, black dwarves were supporters of Jadis. These were not friends- they were enemies! So why the hell would they be waiting for the Kings and Queens? Waiting...? Waiting to ambush them?

A new voice spoke, and it sounded very... very... I couldn't place it. "Minotaurs? They are real?"

Whoa, Spanish accent. Wait! That was a human voice!

I didn't think it through, but I regretted my next move. Before I knew it, I was standing up, in plain sight of the strangers. And odd strangers at that- the oddest combination of travelers I had ever seen.

"What business does a badger, man, and black dwarf have in Narnia?" I demanded. I'd been gone from Narnia for a year- reduced to a powerless teenager whose life was ruled by parents. But now, now I could just hear the natural authority in my voice. I was a Princess again and very aware of it.

My answers came not in words, but in swords- well two swords. Only the badger did not take battle stance. His jaw actually dropped and he simply stared silently.

His companions were not silent, not when Duke jumped out of the bush and to my side, his fists raised.

"H-Humans!" The dwarf was not a very pleasant fellow by the looks of it, his beard needed brushing and face a washing. His sword did not shine, leading me to believe he didn't care for it very well. And the wrinkled clothes he wore made me want to scrunch my nose up-I doubted he had washed them recently.

But it was not the dwarf that held my attention, it was the human. He was my age, maybe even Duke's to be precise, and what startled me was that I did not recognize him. During my visit to Archenland I had met or at least seen the male nobles- and judging by the quality of clothes and weaponry, this young man had status. I was sure that I would remember his face as well, it was not very common for someone to have such dark, handsome features. With tall and good posture, the young man held out a gleaming and impressive quality sword out towards me. But it only took five seconds before he lowered it, his arm went limb at his side. In an accent that sounded very Spanish, he took in my gown with wide, incredulous eyes. "W-Who are you?"

I tilted my head, genuinely surprised. "You do not recognize me? Then you are surely not from Archenland! What land to you hail from stranger? These are my people's lands..."

"You people!?" The dwarf shouted at me, outraged at the comment. In his exclamation, he waved his sword around carelessly.

Duke's fists tightened. I reached out and laid my hand on his arm, "Peace Duke, the dwarf and badger are Narnians... They are not foes."

"You are a friend to Narnians?" The young man questioned, sounding very surprised. "How do you know of their existence?"

I snorted, most likely catching them off guard with the unladylike noise. "Have you been living under a rock?"

Despite the situation, Duke laughed. But then he gave me a confused look, "Kayla, I thought you said that there were no other humans in Narnia except for you, Peter and-"

The badger threw himself on the ground, bowing so deep that his nose almost touched the floor "C-Can it be true? Your highness! Can you be her?!"

"Who?!" Snapped the dwarf.

"Your highness?" The young man looked lost.

I curtseyed to the badger, quite well considering I was wearing a tight gown, holding a pair of heels in one hand, and a purse in the other. Maybe my royal grace- snort- had returned. "Good day to you Badger..."

"And a very good day to you!" The badger grinned, standing up. "We have been waiting for you a very long time."

I chuckled, "Is a year that long?"

Suddenly, the badger stopped smiling. "A year?"

"Yes, it was only a year when... when I left Narnia." I said slowly, not sure where Narnians stood in regards to Peter's act. Surely they did not blame him! Besides, I hadn't actually died... Here I was.

"But Princess," Badger frowned deeply. "It has been 1300 years since your death."

I blinked.

Badger stared at me.

"Are you telling me that I lived here more than 1300 years ago?"

"You're the Guardian!?" The young man cried out, his expression stunned. "Y-You're supposed to be dead!"

I ignored him. My mind was wheeling, heart clenching painfully, and all possessions dropped from my hands. Everything stopped functioning for several, brief, terrifying seconds except for my mouth. It moved solemnly, "So you are telling me that Peter, Ed, Su, and Lu are all dead? Lord Vicern of the elves? Advisor Stilden, the white tiger?"

Badger looked down at the ground, "The Kings and Queens of the Golden Age vanished several years after your death, never to return. King Vicern passed away from old age many years later and so did the great white tiger you speak of. They are legends today, their lives never forgotten."

Everything came crashing down on me, my entire world.

My voice trembled. "They're all dead... Everyone I loved is dead..."

I do not recall how, but I found myself on the floor, tears falling without sound down my face. "Is Aslan responsible? Is he responsible for sending me back to a world where my loved ones are dead? Is he so cruel?" The questions came out in a monotone, I was far past sadness, I was becoming soul less.

Duke was pulling me to my feet, "Kayla, don't lose it. Come on, snap out of it. You were sent back here for a reason! Aslan wouldn't-"

"Aslan!" The dwarf cackled. "He's been long gone, we thought he vanished with the Kings and Queens."

"No... No, that can't be true." I whispered. Duke's warm touch to my chilled body was waking me up. I couldn't lose sanity, how could I leave Duke alone in a world he did not understand? He would be alone... I couldn't do that. And maybe he was right, as depressing as the situation was, maybe I had some sort of task. Why else would I be brought back? Was this a hint? Aslan gone... Did that mean I needed to find him?

Determination held fast onto my sanity, and I felt level headed again. Calmly, I picked up my things again, and pointed at the young man. "Who are you?"

"I am Prince Caspian." He said proudly, even raising his chin a bit.

Huh. A little arrogant are we?

"Prince of what?" I asked.

"I am next in line for the Telmarine throne." He stated, looking as if I were a complete lunatic.

"What's that?" I looked at the badger, finding him more intelligent than Caspian.

Badger's eyes dimmed. "A lot has changed your highness, we Narnians are no longer free. We hide, almost extinct in our own land. We were invaded, the Telmarines rule now. It has been so long that they now think we're just a myth but-" He suddenly stopped and sniffed the air.

"What is it?" The dwarf asked gruffly.

"Human."

"This lot?"

"No! them!" Badger pointed out in the distance, from the direction that the three had come from. My eyes snapped there and I was shocked to see dark featured men, similar to Caspian, running for us. They had many weapons.

"There they are!" A soldier shouted.

"Run!" I screamed, pulling on Duke's sleeve. He didn't need to be told twice and before I could blink, he was sprinting in his tuxedo, so fast that I was soon left behind. I couldn't run quick enough- I was in an blasted evening gown and barefoot for Aslan's sake! "Duke!" I shouted.

He looked over his shoulder and stopped, stopping so suddenly that he nearly lost his footing. "Kayla!" Duke started to run back to me, but shouted in alarm when an arrow whizzed past his ear. "Holy shit!" Wisely, he threw himself to the ground.

I jumped behind the trunk of a tree and whispered a plea of help to the dryad. It was no use though, the willow spirit did not answer. She had been locked away inside for so long that she was most likely lost forever- Narnia was dying.

And it was all his people's fault! I couldn't help but feel pure hate towards Caspian, but it eased away when I witnessed something that cleared him from guilt. Badger was hit by an arrow and attempted to hand something to Caspian. For a moment I thought the Prince would take it and leave- but instead he reached down and carried Badger. With the Narnian in his hold, he began to run again.

I scoffed, some hero. What about Duke and I? I didn't expect anything from the dwarf- he was already running on without a second look back. At least Caspian kept glancing back, panicked and worried.

But then I heard a scream. It came from behind the tree, from the directions of the Telmarine soldiers. I chanced a glance and watched with relief and shock as one by one, men fell to the ground. An unknown attacker beneath the plants below...

A squirrel perhaps? No, they were no warriors, they didn't even have an attention span.

One soldier remained and he had reached my tree, but had failed to notice me. He was too busy watching the ground, scared that he would be killed next. His distraction was good for me, bad for him. He didn't even have a chance to blink before I had snatched the sword from his hand and held it to his throat.

"WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?" I demanded, my voice venomous.

His eyes widened, "L-Lord Miraz!" Just like the Prince, he spoke with a heavy Telmarine accent. Though, it sounded very similar to Spanish. He looked at my dress and his mouth fell open. "Who are-"

The poor lad never had a chance to finish his sentence, because out of nowhere, a mouse jumped up and stabbed him. Ah, so it was a mouse then! Brilliant fighters, and very useful too. They helped Peter fight some hags in the forest once.

But the mouse didn't recognize me, something I had a feeling would happen very often. It was odd, to be known but not recognized. I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. Ignorant, the mouse attacked, swinging his sword quickly and with deadly accuracy.

I had seen the ways of the mice and knew how quickly they moved. It was the oddest fight I ever had, but I parried and blocked his little sword with my large one. The clash of metal upon metal very small- almost comical.

"Peace good mouse!" I laughed at his faster attacks. Clearly he was unpleased that I was not dead yet.

My words startled him, and he stopped fighting at once. "You're not Telmarine!" His sword remained at the ready. "I demand that you tell me who you are! Where do you hail from human?"

"I come from a far land..." I said carefully. "But am friend to Narnians."

Before he could ask anymore questions, we were joined by the others. The mouse took in Duke's appearance then glanced back at me- it seemed he evaluated us together. We were both dressed strangely and I past the laws of ladylike etiquette. But he didn't have time to watch us, because as soon as he saw Caspian holding an injured Badger, he jumped in attack.

"Ahh! Choose your last words carefully Telmarine!"

Badger had fallen out of Caspian's hands, but the dwarf caught his friend. Caspian looked very, very confused. "You are a mouse."

"Way to state the obvious." I mumbled to no one in particular.

The little warrior sounded disappointed too. "I was hoping for something a little more original. Pick up your sword!"

"Uhh, no thanks."

"Pick it up! I will not fight an unarmed man!"

"Which is why I might live longer if I choose not to cross blades with you, noble mouse." Caspian stated, almost warily.

Duke gave me a look. "Is this guy for real? Do you talk like that?"

"If it may please you sir, but I do enjoy speaking a rather dignified manner." I answered smartly.

Duke sighed, "I have a feeling your accent is going to come back."

The others had paused in the tense moment to hear Duke and I banter, but when it was clear we had finished. Badger spoke up. "Reepicheep! Sheathe your blade!"

I think Duke wanted to laugh at the mouse's name- but it sounded normal to me. I was well accustomed to Narnian names, plus mice tended to be very eccentric... proud people.

"Trufflehunter!" The mouse said the badger's name. This time, Duke smiled in amusement. "I trust you have a good reason for this untimely interruption."

"He doesn't." The dwarf declared. "Go ahead."

"He's the one who blew the horn!" Badger pointed to Caspian.

"What?!" Reepicheep drew his sword back in shock.

A deep, calm voice suddenly joined the conversation. "Then let him bring it forward."

We all looked up to see four centaurs approach. My mouth pursed at the sight of them, Narnia had indeed changed. Centaurs were strong, noble creatures. They cared greatly about their appearance and cleanliness- and yet these centaurs were dirty and wild. What had happened to my people?

The centaur added, "This is the reason we have gathered."

I was tired and confused. Frustrated, I dropped the sword. Taking a step forward, I swung my heels in the air to gain attention. "What horn? Who blew it? What in the name of Aslan is going on?!"

It seemed as if the centaur noticed me for the first time. I could see the horror in his face at the amount of skin my dress showed, but I didn't care. I was a normal teenager again, I felt comfortable in modern clothing. He had the mind to speak though, "Who are you? You are not dark like the Telmarines."

"I am Princess Makayla." I sounded stupid announcing it, how vain did I come across? Did I sound like a snob? I had never needed to introduce myself to Narnians! This was ridiculous. "Guardian of Narnia. Before you ask why I'm alive and so on, I need someone to explain to me what I have missed in the past 1300 years because it seems like a damn lot."

"Come, we will explain as we travel to the gathering."

Thank god, answers.

But my relief died as the centaur and Trufflehunter explained what had happened. It began well enough, with a glorious time in Narnia's history called the Golden Age. Peter and the others led Narnia during this time- giants were kept out of the borders in the North, invasion from Calormen stopped, trade blossomed, and peace was a certainty. Then one day, the Kings and Queens went on a hunting ride... They never returned. Chaos followed, but the Narnians managed their country as best as they could. They were weak and so it came to no surprise when the attacks began. Telmarines invaded. With great catapults they destroyed Cair Paravel- here I began to cry quietly- and began to settle in the kingdom. Archenland did not have the numbers to fight the invaders and had its own troubles with Calormen. Soon, the Telmarines reigned with their own castle and the Narnians hid for so long that they were forgotten... Thought to be nothing but myths...

"How long have you been in hiding?" Duke asked. I had no voice, I was too shocked.

"305 years or so." Badger replied with a sad expression.

"I am so sorry." I whispered, hoarsely.

The dwarf, who I now knew to be Nikabrik, huffed. "Don't matter now, you already deserted us. Guardian indeed! Hah!"

Anger flashed in my eyes. "How dare you! I fought Jadis the White Witch- the very evil your people supported!"

"If she was still around, all this wouldn't have happened." He snorted.

"If she was still around, she probably would've turned your great-great-great-great-great grandfather out of boredom and you wouldn't be here today." I snapped. "I trained under that witch, I know her actions."

"Well some good that training did you!" Nikabrik fired back. "Look where it got you- stabbed by your own lover! And then you died... Where have you been for 3500 years? If you're here now, you're not dead! Where were you during the Invasion? Narnia needed protection and no one came!"

Rage engulfed me, I could feel a small burning sensation in my stomach, deep inside me...

"You _dare_ to accuse me of desertion?" I hissed, dropping my things. Duke made a slight move forward, but stopped wisely. "I died for Narnia! I gave my life so that you could have your High King to lead you. Don't you _ever_ accuse me of anything less!"

"S-She's pale." Caspian looked a bit frightened.

The burning grew until it filled my chest. A smile began to form, I knew this feeling, and I closed my eyes waiting.

Pain erupted.

It was the same, no different than the last times, but my magic returned. My blood seemed to turn into lava as it flowed through my veins, heating my entire body, my toes tingled and I felt my head spin. Vision turned blurry until I could only see random smudges of color and everything around me seemed to disappear. I didn't scream as I fell back into the plants, I simply thought about fire.

Fire gave me power. And with that power I would protect Narnia. I would destroy the Telmarines.

Wait, I wonder if my other abilities had returned... Was my speed and strength inside me again?

Suddenly the pain ended abruptly, leaving no traces of the transformation, save for a the continuous little flame of comfort that burned inside me. It soothed me. When I opened my eyes, I was aware that I was smiling, most likely looking insane.

Four people were huddled over me: Duke, Caspian, Trufflehunter, and Reepicheep. The others simply watched, bewildered, from a distance.

Duke was swearing in words that the Narnians did not know, but when my eyes opened he stopped. "W-What the hell just happened? Are you okay!?"

"My lady, speak." Reepicheep urged and to my amusement, he was standing on my chest.

"I am fine," I moved to stand up. The mouse warrior jumped off me promptly and I got to my feet. They all waited for me to explain, I was sure, but I had to do something first. Lifting my dress up to my knees, I pushed off the soft ground and ran. The trees passed by in a blur, they were nothing more than green and brown stripes of color in my vision.

Oh yes, I was fast again.

Very pleased, I ran back to a stunned party. I let my dress cover my legs once more and clapped my hands in glee. "Well my friends, it seems that I'm back in business."


	9. Chapter 8

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**Chapter 8**

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I think I'm an addict.

I can't stop coming back to the computer and writing. Ahhh!

Today was my first day back at school, it was very hectic. I'm happy with most of my teachers and locker though, so that's alright. I'm dreading AP English though, I'll probably be dying soon. Nice knowing you.

Gosh, I love being melodramatic. Sarcastically of course. Wink.

Now enjoy:

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Suddenly, something clicked in my brain.

"Wait! Trufflehunter, when you spoke of Vicern... Did you call him **King** Vicern?" I gasped, butterflies in my stomach. Could it be what I thought it was?

Trufflehunter nodded, "Indeed. He married Queen Susan a few years after your death. Some stories call him 'Lord' but mostly he is known as 'King'."

I grabbed Duke's arm and beamed up at him. "They married! How marvelous... But _bloody hell_, it took them years? Damn Vi, what were you so scared of?"

Duke chuckled, "You're happy."

"I can just see it... They would marry in the forest, maybe even in the Elvin city, Susan always liked it. Oh Aslan, she would've looked breathtaking in that white dress... Vicern handsome in his best tunic. I can just see it, she would walk up to him, with Peter giving her away. He'd give her a kiss on the forehead and maybe shake Vicern's hand, or perhaps a hug. Oh, they would just be so happy... They deserved one another."

Taking my hand, Duke sniggered. "Do you know how corny you sound?"

I raised my chin haughtily, "I prefer to call it romantic."

He simply shook his head, but his grip tightened affectionately.

Prince Caspian walked on my other side and he watched our hands curiously, "My lady, may I ask you a personal question?"

"Yes." I had a feeling what he was going to ask.

"Are you two in courtship?"

"No." We both stated, not hastily or nervously, just calmly.

I suppose Caspian must have caught something in Duke's expression that warned him not to ask anymore questions, because the Prince wisely changed the topic. "Tell me, what happened after... after you... um died?"

I was grateful that everyone carefully avoided stating the blatant truth, but I had healed from the experience myself. It was nice to know that they did not wish to hurt my feelings, the kind nature of Narnians remained. But to hear the words didn't bother me anymore, it was just a tragedy in the past- I was alive. So no harm done. Amused, I bravely said the words everyone had feared to speak. "When Peter stabbed me, my body went numb. I could feel my fire, my soul, begin to pull away from my body. It was like I was drifting away and I didn't hurt anymore... Then, I found myself in a peaceful world of nothing. I know that does not make much sense, but it a tranquil world of just empty space, nothing to disrupt the silent peace. A voice began to speak to me, it was Aslan, and he told me that it was time for me to go home..."

"Is that what happened to the Kings and Queens?" Caspian asked.

I shrugged, "I do not know. They do come from my world, but they are in the past."

Here, Duke added, "They are in the year 1940, well now it should be 1941 if it's been a year for them too... Kayla and I come from 2008. Almost 70 years in their future."

Caspian seemed to think for a few moments, then spoke. "They say that Lucy was just a mere child when she came to Narnia, and if seventy years were to pass, could she not still be alive in your time? She would be old, but is there not the chance that she still lives?"

I stiffened as we walked. "I-I have never considered the possibility."

Oh my god. What if Peter was alive? He would be an elderly man- would he have married? Did he have children? Hold old were they? Did they have children of their own? They would around my age... Oh my. That was very gross to even think.

"Holy crap," Duke said. "I never thought about that."

"I've upset you." Caspian frowned. "Forgive me, I did not mean to."

I waved his words away, doing my best to appear unaffected. "No, sorry, your words simply startled me... Say Caspian, when your tutor told you that the horn had magical abilities, what were they?"

Caspian went along with the change of subject smoothly, "The horn is said to call back the Kings and Queens of old."

It took me a moment to absorb this. "You called _them_ back?"

"Yes."

"And yet **I** heard the call..."

He nodded, catching on to my train of thought. "I do not know what this means. I believe that there are two possibilities. One, you have come in the place of the Kings and Queens. Or..."

"We have _all_ come." I finished, strangely keeping my sanity. The mere thought of Duke meeting Peter... And Edmund... Damn it! I couldn't even imagine. Would my dignity go down the drain? Would Peter and Ed see me as nothing more than a whore? A year and already I find myself having affections for another man. Not love, of course not love, but feelings. Even if I wasn't sure if those feelings were entirely romantic or platonic.

Duke remained quiet, his face unreadable. But there was no sign of his usual, boyish grin. He must have realized too that a confrontation may be inevitable.

"Caspian," I began. "What do _you_ think about your people invading Narnia?"

The Prince sighed, "Must we argue my lady?"

I winked, "Only if you give me the wrong answer."

He realized that I was joking, and relaxed. He smiled, "Then I will not speak."

"Okay." I said contently. Clearly the invasion was a touchy subject for him and if I was going to help the Prince... Then it would be best if we remained on good terms.

We had been walking for an hour now, I had absolutely no idea what forest we were in, but I did not bother to ask the Narnians or Caspian. They had already spoken of places throughout the kingdom whose names I did not recognize. It was clear, that over 1300 years, names had been changed.

"Do women normally dress like that?" Caspian blurted out, he turned a fiery red as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

Duke sniggered "Man, let me guess. You think her dress is that of a prostitute right?"

I slapped his arm. "A what?!"

The men ignored me.

Caspian nodded. "It is not fitting for a woman of her status."

"Then let me tell you something buddy, Kayla's dress is considered beautiful and tasteful." He had a defensive edge to his tone. "We were at a dance, or I think you'd call it ball, whatever, the point is that the women get dressed up. But it's more like a throwing on a dress and trying to show as much leg as they can." Duke smiled down at me. "This one actually has class."

I felt heat rush up to my cheeks.

Caspian grinned, "I think I would like to attend one of these celebrations."

"I bet you would." I mumbled. Perverted Prince!

"Damn Kayla, you must've been walking around like one of those medieval princesses." Duke whistled. "No wonder you always wore jeans and t-shirts when you came back. You were just trying to cover up your skin."

Before I could answer, Caspian made my blush deepen. "Why do you have a false crown?"

"Oh!" I pulled away from Duke's grasp and threw my hands to my head. Hastily, I yanked the Prom Queen crown and brought in front of my eyes. "Huh, I think it's aluminum with paint."

"What is this al-" The Prince struggled even with the begging of the word.

"A fake silver, cheap too." I cut him off. "I hadn't planned on winning you know, no one even hinted that they were going to vote for me so I had no idea! I swear!"

"Win what?"

"You're confusing him." Duke noted.

"Shut up Duke." I muttered. It was hard, it was like my first time in Narnia all over again. I had to explain every little detail, because Narnians didn't understand concepts and happenings in my world. After being in the modern world though, I'd gotten used to having everyone automatically understand what I was talking about.

Thankfully, Duke answered for me. It was crazy how well he was coping- I had taken many days to come to terms that I wasn't in America anymore. Let alone in the same world! I had cried a lot too and felt like I was going insane! But it sort of made sense- Duke had been told of Narnia before. He was familiar with the abrupt transportation into one world from another. He knew that animals could speak, he hadn't stared at Trufflehunter, and had been told about centaurs, dwarves, and other creatures. He was prepared for this.

Speaking of dwarves, Nikabrik had been listening in. After listening to Duke's explanation about Prom Queen, he snorted. "So you're telling me human, that your people announce a Queen for one night? And that you vote to decide who wins?!"

"Yes."

"You _choose_ your royalty?" Nikabrik's lip curled up in disgust.

"Yes." I snapped. "It's for fun, we do not have royalty to rule over our country. Your Kings and Queens of the Golden Age do, but Duke and I come from another land than them-"

"Duke?" The centaur seemed confused. "If you do not have royalty, then why is you have nobles? What is your name Duke?"

"Duke."

"Yes, but what are you Duke of?"

"What?" My friend looked puzzled.

"What is the name of the land you own? Duke of what?"

I groaned. This was getting confusing.

"There are no dukes in our country." I stated, doing my best to keep frustration out of my voice. "My friend's name is actually Duke, it is not title, it stands alone. It is no different to Trufflehunter or Reepicheep, Duke does not own any land."

"I see..." The centaur clearly did not.

They all had the sense to ask nothing more about our world.

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We all sat on the ground, in the middle of the clearing, waiting for the gathering to commence. It had been several hours and still, Trufflehunter said that there were more Narnians coming. So, we were forced to wait. The Narnians who lived nearby were the first to arrive and they pointed, whispered, and stared at us.

Caspian and Duke was staring right back at them, just as curious. I simply looked up the sky, watching as the sunlight began to die away. I had much time to think about my complicated, horrible life. This is what I had realized:

If I had heard the call, a call meant for the Kings and Queens only, then it was obvious that they had heard it too. Somehow the magic had stretched to my ears in addition. The Pevensie siblings were most likely somewhere in Narnia, and if not here, then they were coming... If I had been put here, they would too. I couldn't see Aslan keeping them away from their country, not when their help was necessary.

They would never reject the call, they were good people.

They would find me somehow, reunited at last. I had no idea how Peter would react to me, but I was confident that Edmund, Susan, and Lucy would most likely embrace me without hesitation. I could only pray that Peter did not shun me, I hoped he knew that I did not hate him.

But what would he do with Duke?

Better yet, what would **I** do with Duke?

I cared for him, something that I did not deny in the slightest, but I was not in love with him. In fact, I had not even given him my heart. It didn't pick up speed every time he walked into the room, smiled at me, or even kissed me. The only man to ever have that effect on me was Peter.

Oh dear Aslan, I was still as madly in love with Peter as I had been the moment he plunged his sword through me.

It was then that I realized that I would never be able to give Duke my heart. It wasn't even mine to give.

My life was far too complicated to be healthy.

"Princess?"

I jumped, the voice startling me from my thinking. Turning my head, I saw Caspian and Duke giving me strange looks. "Yeah? Erm, I mean yes?" I had indeed become a slang-using teenager.

"Would you tell me of your magic?"

"What would you like to know?" I asked, somewhat flattered that he even was interested. Most humans, such as those in Archenland, had been terrified to even to look in my eyes. They feared that if they did, they'd be burned alive or turned into stone. Ignorant people.

Caspian flashed me a handsome grin, it was just like Duke's. "Everything."

"Its actually quite simple really," I laughed, "So don't be disappointed. My magic is not permanent, it will leave me at times. It only comes in time of need-"

"When you had to fight the White Witch." Caspian put in. I couldn't help but begin to like his accent, it was so exotic.

"Right," I nodded in confirmation. "She trained me, being the only other witch in existence, and hoped that I would choose her side. I think that she had this notion in her head that I'd be grateful to her for teaching me, but she... she hurt me often. I hated her and chose to fight her. I'm not sure if her magic works the same way as mine, we are opposite forces after all, but my magic is very simple. The best way I could describe it to you is saying that I have a candle inside of me."

Caspian and Duke raised an eyebrow at this.

Wow, they grinned the same way, and now this? Strange...

I shook my head, trying not to be distracted. "There is a flame inside of me, deep in my chest, always burning. My blood, my life is it's oil... It's power source. Which is why I could feel it blow out when I was killed." Both boys flinched. What the hell? Were they twins or something?

"So with this flame, I always have magic at the ready. Emotions, especially anger, will feed it and it will grow. It warms me up and comes out, I use my wand to direct it... Allowing me to control it and use it as a weapon."

"Where is your wand?" Duke inquired.

I shrugged, "My guess is Cair Paravel, hidden in the royal treasury. Its location is secret, only a few knew where."

"Stilden the Great White Warrior is famous for keeping your wand safe from the traitor Mar-" Caspian began.

My anger flashed, "Don't you dare speak that demon's name!"

"Oh shit!" Duke threw himself away from me, thumping into an equally alarmed Caspian. "Kayla! Chill out!"

Their eyes were fixated on my hands. I looked down and gasped when I saw my hands enveloped in balls of fire, but my skin did not burn, in fact it felt nice... Warm... Like Peter holding my hands.

At this thought, I felt my spirits deflate, and with it the flames. When my hands were normal again, Duke gingerly reached out me. I flinched slightly when his fingers brushed against my cheek. "Kayla, are you alright?"

"S-Sorry." I mumbled, unable to meet his eyes.

He snorted, "You didn't burn me, there's nothing to sorry for."

"I could've burned you." I snapped then growled in frustration. "This is why I need my bloody wand! Without it, I have hardly any control!"

"You're pretty level headed," Duke winked. "You survived years of me and with it pigheadedness, flirts, and pick-up lines. I'm pretty sure you can handle anything."

"Flirts?" Caspian leaned in closer. "I thought you two were not courting-"

"We're not!" We both shouted at him.

He closed his mouth and held his peace.

Duke mumbled something under his breath. "_But-I-wish-we-were_."

I pretended not to hear and put on my best smile, which probably looked very strained. "Do you have anyone special Prince?"

To my surprise, he shook his head. "No Princess, I have not found love just yet."

"A shame." I lamented.

Caspian hesitated, giving Duke a wary look. "Your love for Peter is legendary, the most powerful story of all Narnian tales I have ever learned... It was the first story my tutor ever told me."

My eyes widened, "Y-You jest surely..."

Almost sadly, he smiled at me. "I do not, it is probably the most famous myth about the Golden Age that my people know of. A story of true love with a Princess making the ultimate sacrifice for the High King... It almost sounds like a fairy-tale."

"Except there was no happy ending." I quietly said.

Caspian stared at me for a long time, as if thinking. I ignored him and looked at Duke out of the corner of my eye. I frowned when his jaw was tight and locked, a murderous gleam in his eyes.

Oh yes, my life was much too complicated.


	10. Chapter 9

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**Chapter 9**

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Right, school is actually okay. But I'm terrified of AP Lit... It's my first AP class. Just nerves though.

I know everyone's been waiting for Duke and Peter/Edmund to meet...

HERE IT IS HOMESKILLETS.

Yes, I am indeed a gangster!

_Now enjoy:_

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My pride in Narnians deflated in a single instant. They were not like their ancestors, they had changed. And not for the better.

The gathering had commenced and before us humans could even begin to speak, a haughty minotaur began to accuse Caspian. Following the mighty minotaur's example, the other Narnians began to shout and insult the Prince. Their words were terrible... Hurtful... and full of spite. Their anger and frustration towards the Telmarines had been bottled up for many years, flowing through the blood of many generations... Poisoning their good hearts. Caspian seemed shocked, I did not blame him, for I was at loss.

What had happened to my people?

"He should pay!" A female centaur screamed, rage in her eyes.

A faun raised his sword in the air angrily. "Let him suffer like we suffer!"

"YES!" Many animals chanted. "Yes! Yes!"

"But-" Caspian seemed desperate.

"Yes!"

"Make him go hungry!"

"Yes!"

"No-" Caspian tried again.

"Yes!"

"Make him homeless!"

"Yes!"

"Please, I blew the horn-" The prince's shoulder began to lower in defeat.

"All this horn proves is that they've stolen yet another thing from us!"

He snapped to defense. "I didn't steal anything!"

"You didn't steal anything?" The deep voice of the minotaur rumbled dangerously. "Show me the list of the things the Telmarines have stolen!"

"Our home!"

"Our land!"

"Our freedom!"

"Our lives!"

"Let him die!" The minotaur pulled out his mighty ax and ran towards the unsuspecting Prince.

Duke ran towards Caspian, but I did not have time to see his action. The men were out of my vision when I ran at the minotaur, anger and disappointment feeding the flame. I could feel it, I could feel the heat building. It was gathering strength with every word of hate thrown at the innocent Prince... A young man I even thought as 'friend' now. Never, never would my people harm an innocent.

"STAND DOWN!" I blocked the beast's path, making his hooves dig into the dirt quickly. The great, tall minotaur slid to a stop, nearly losing his balance, as he tried to stop us from colliding. His body weight was too much though, and I felt his body slam into mine.

It did not hurt, it felt just like Alyssa throwing herself at me for a tight hug. Except, I had no interest in hugging a former enemy- the minotaurs had killed my friends in the Battle, a fact that I would never forget. My feet stood firmly in the dirt and grass, I could feel the earth slide between my toes as the impact drove my feet deeper. But I stayed where I was and my arms flashed out. Annoyed, I threw the minotaur to the side.

He fell and landed on his back, more than a dozen feet away. A slight vibration from his heavy weight shook the ground. His ears flickered in shock, his pure black eyes wide, and the ax fell from his grasp, nearly hitting the angry female centaur. She flew back in fright before staring at me, wary.

Silence ensued.

I turned to the men and was very surprised at what I saw.

My friends were on the ground, but Duke was closest to me. He was covering Caspian, his body serving as a shield from an attack that never reached him. Caspian peeked over Duke's shoulders, his expression surprised and then he glanced at Duke. Men, as I've learned, have few words to speak to one another. So, it was only expected when the two young men gave each other nods- a part of boy language I will never understand- before getting back to their feet. I suppose Caspian would say thank you to Duke when there was not a crowd of onlookers.

Suddenly, I heard the minotaur get back to his feet. He looked angry now.

"You!" I pointed at him, a vicious snarl coming to my mouth. "And all of you!" My finger swung around the clearing of the forest, accusing the crowd as a whole. "You are no better than the dumb beasts who do not know language! You are no better than the Telmarines. Your ancestors, my people, would be sickened at your behavior. Where has the goodness in your hearts gone? Have you been so quick to give into hate? Are you so weak that you lose morality?"

"H-He stole our homes! Our lives!" The female centaur bravely spoke out.

My eyes narrowed. "Caspian did?"

"Yes!"

"So you are telling me that this young man was present hundreds of years ago, came off a ship, and aided in the conquering in Narnia?"

She faltered, "W-Well no but-"

"Then you are wrong for accusing an innocent of such a crime. How dare you even think that you have the right to place all crimes of his people on his shoulders!" I shook my head sadly. "When I lived here, many years ago, centaurs were proud, just, and loyal people. Oreius, the captain of the army, was a centaur-"

"He is my ancestor," The lady centaur quickly put in, as if this would clear her of her past words. "His blood runs through me."

My head tilted. "Really? Oreius was my dear friend and Peter's loyal advisor... I knew him very well and I know for a fact that if he were here, he would dishonored by you. You call yourself a centaur? Hah!"

"Kay..." Duke warned, noticing that the tension grew at this insult.

"What?" I shrugged, "It's true."

"F-Forgive me." She bowed her head, I could hear the hurt and sincerity in her voice. "You are right... I have been to quick to judge."

"Yes you have," I slapped my head in frustration. "Look, everyone, let's just start over okay? No shouting, no accusations, no anger. This must be a peaceful gathering and we have much to discuss but hardly any time. This 'Miraz' is sending an army now that he knows that our people exist. The horn of Susan has been blown and I have answered the call, whether the others have is unknown... But for now, we must assume that they have not. Let us prepare to get your homes back. Are you ready!?"

There was a slight pause, but I was glad when they all cheered, even the bloody minotaur. I raised an eyebrow at this, but said nothing. It was so wrong to see old enemies together here, without killing each other. But I was biased, I had been beaten numerous times by minotaur's in Jadis' camp, especially by her general. Goosebumps formed on my arms, I pushed the memories away.

Nikabrik stepped forward, he did not fear me. He was too confident. "I think the boy's accountable and punishable."

Before I could snap at him, Reepicheep drew out his sword and laughed dryly. "Hah! That is rich coming from you dwarf! Or have you forgotten that it was your people who fought along side the White Witch?"

"Hear, hear!" I added unnecessarily. Duke snorted and Caspian rolled his eyes.

Nikabrik ignored me, "And I would do it again if it would rid us of these barbarians! AHHHH!"

Balls of fire were hurling at him, shooting through the air so quickly that he could not dodge them. His small body was thrown back violently and his beard smoked.

My fists trembled and I ground my teeth so hard that I was surprised they didn't crack. "What. the. hell. did. you. say. traitor?"

No one said anything, a wise decision.

Even Badger was at loss, he couldn't believe his friend's words.

When Nikabrik said nothing, I threw my hands into the air. Steam came off them, threatening to release hellish fire upon the black dwarf. "MY FRIENDS DIED TO KILL THAT WITCH. SHE TORTURED ME AND EDMUND, SHE KILLED INNOCENTS, SHE IS EVIL!"

"Kayla," Duke approached me slowly. "Calm down, ignore that idiot. He's just a short,fat man who doesn't have a brain."

"What did you say you filthy _human_-" Nikabrik yelped when another fireball came his way, but he dodged it.

"ENOUGH!" Badger shouted at the dwarf. "Shut your mouth Nikabrik, it is not in your power to bring the White Witch back... Some of you may have forgotten but we badgers remember well that Narnia was never right except when there was a Son of Adam as our King."

"But he's a Telmarine! Why would we want him as our king?" Nikabrik protested.

"Because I can help you!" Caspian explained, passion coming into his voice. "Beyond these woods I am a Prince, the Telmarine throne is rightfully mine. Help me claim it and I can bring peace between us."

My jaw dropped slightly, "Whoa. You definitely are a Prince."

Duke nodded dumbly just as he reached me. He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist before putting his head onto my shoulder. I felt comfort rush through me. "He'd make a hell of an addition to the debate team with that sort of passion."

No one seemed to understand us because the leader of the centaurs began to speak, paying no heed to our comments. In a wise voice he declared, "It is true, the time is right. I watched the skies, for it is mine to watch as it is yours to remember Badger. Tava, the lord of victory and Alambil, the lady of peace have come together in the high heavens. Now here, two Sons of Adam and the Guardian Daughter of Eve has come forth to offer us back our freedom."

Huh, the stars foretold our coming? Very interesting...

"Is this possible?" An anxious squirrel who stood on a tree branch suddenly said, voicing the doubts of all the Narnians. "Do you really think we can have peace? Do you, I mean? Really?"

"Two days ago," Caspian turned into his princely mode again. "I didn't believe in the existence of talking animals, or dwarves, or centaurs. And here you are... In strength and numbers that we Telmarines could never have imagined! Whether this horn has called the Kings and Queens or not, it brought us together and your Guardian. Together, we have the chance to take back what is ours!"

"If you will lead us, then my sons and I offer you our swords." The centaurs all raised their weapons. I grinned. Now _there_ were the loyal, wise, and just the centaurs I knew. My grin turned into giddy laughter when the rest of the Narnians also raised their weapons.

"And we offer you our lives, unreservedly." Reepicheep announced, his clan of mice warriors coming up behind him.

Caspian looked at me questioning.

I winked at him, "What? Do I really have to announce it so formally?"

He laughed, "It would add to the excitement."

"Fine. I offer you my magic and... my shoes." I sighed, realizing I did not even have a weapon "I do not have my Sais."

Everyone smiled, amused. The tension was gone at my little comment. Oh yes, shoes would contribute to war... Snort.

Badger said, "Miraz's army will not be far behind us sire."

"If we are to be ready for them, we need to hurry to find soldiers and weapons. I'm sure they will be here soon." Caspian replied.

"Where are we going?" Duke inquired. "We're going to need a stronghold, somewhere where we can hide from the Telmarines but large enough to house an army."

I gave him a smirk, "Who turned you into a military strategist?"

Duke shrugged, "I've read my share of adventure books, I know how this all goes down."

"You're placing our lives into your experience of reading books of the adventure genre?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Sounds good."

"I suggest we move to Aslan's how." Badger declared.

"Where?" I asked confused.

"Where Aslan died to save the King Edmund," Caspian explained. "Surely you would know of it!"

"Oh! You mean the Stone Table!"

Duke groaned, "Great... more names to remember."

"How are we supposed to hide at the Stone Table? There is no fortress there, only ruins." I pointed out.

"No, a great structure surrounds the table now. It is underground with many tunnels and chambers, it is a decent stronghold." Badger informed me.

Caspian debated it for a few moments, before nodding. "We move out to Aslan's how! Spread the word to the other Narnians!"

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"Can someone take me to Cair Paravel so I may retrieve my wand and Sais?" I asked.

"Cair Paravel is nothing more than ruins," Badger reminded me. "I am sorry your majesty, but I doubt your things will be there."

"But I need my wand to fight!"

"I am sorry."

"How far is Cair Paravel from here?" I insisted. "I will make the journey on my own and find out whether my things are still there. They must be! The treasury was a strong chamber, it could withstand 1300 years!"

"And the destruction of the castle by catapults?" Badger looked sad. "My lady, the journey is too long. It would take several days to reach the castle, and we do not have the time."

He was right, the Telmarines would be here today if we did not get moving! I couldn't waste a few days to get to Cair Paravel and then more to return... Duke realized this too because he tried to cheer me up. "At least you can fight."

"At least you have shoes." I fired back.

"Dude, I am freaking carrying you." He retorted.

"True." I mumbled. Duke had been carrying me for the past hour on his back, while I clutched my useless heels and purse. A great number of Narnians marched towards Aslan's how, our numbers grew as time continued. The word of the Revolution was traveling like fire, many were joining the fight.

"You're fat." Duke stated.

"You're ugly."

"At least I'm not in an evening gown."

"This is coming from the guy in a tuxedo?"

"Did I mention you are fat and that I'm carrying you?"

"I hate you."

Caspian, who had been walking by us, laughed. In his very attractive accent he said, "Are all people of your word like this?"

"Like what?" We both answered together, clueless.

"Do you all insult each other so casually?"

I smiled, "No I don't insult strangers. I only say these things to close friends, like Duke."

"Same here," Duke gave Caspian a lopsided grin. "But she_ actually_ is fat."

"Fine!" I sniffed, pride hurt. "Put me down, I don't care if my bare, lovely, soft, sensitive feet get covered in disgusting mud as we trudge through marsh, forest, cross rivers, and-"

"I can carry the lady if you are tired," Caspian offered to Duke.

"Thank god." Duke muttered.

I slapped him as the boys exchanged me as if I were a package.

Soon I was on the Prince's back and I stuck my tongue out at Duke. He exaggerated as he stretched his back, pretending as if he'd been freed from carrying an elephant or something ridiculously large.

"Caspian, what as your father like?" I asked, curious.

He stiffed slightly beneath me, caught off guard. Just before I could apologize and change the subject, he relaxed and answered in a calm voice, "He was a good king and a loving father. I know that my mother and him loved each other dearly, it broke his heart when she died giving birth to me. I do not remember him much, I was very young when he died."

I sighed and rested my head against his warm, black hair. Even though he'd been on the run for a few days in the wild, it smelled nice. It reminded me of similar thoughts I'd had about Peter and Edmund... No matter what they did, wether it was hunt or battle, they always remained handsome with perfect hair. It was so unfair! If I tried to do anything, my hair would get greasy, tangled, and dirty. I guess it's a prince/king trait.

"How did he die?" I asked, doing my best not to think of Peter and Ed.

"He went to bed one night and simply never woke up," Caspian murmured. "My tutor later told me that my father had complained about a horrible stomach ache after his meal. His lower stomach twisted and turned inside him, well that's what he told Cornelius anyways."

I assumed Cornelius was his tutor that he spoke often about. But I frowned at Caspian's explanation. "May I be frank Prince?"

"Of course Princess."

"It sounds like foul play was involved."

His shoulders tightened and Caspian remained silent. I couldn't see his face, only the sides of it, so I was unable to see his eyes. Carefully, I quietly said, "Poison in your father's meal could have killed him in his sleep... For his lower stomach to 'twist and turn' is not a normal stomach ache."

"Yes," Caspian muttered. "The possibility has crossed my mind."

"I want to learn how to fight." Duke suddenly blurted out.

I blinked. Caspian laughed.

"What?" Duke was slightly offended with our reactions.

"Do you know how random that was?"

"You've said worse," Duke rebutted. "Look, there's going to a freaking war and I don't even know how to use a sword. I've never even held one before! What the hell am I supposed to do when the battle's going on? Sit and hide? Hell no!"

"You're right, we must get you a sword!" Caspian announced. "I shall do my best to teach you, but-"

"No way." I cut in. "Duke you're not going to get a sword and fight a battle. Maybe if we had more time, but I'm pretty sure this battle is going to happen in a few days, maybe even less. You can't risk your life when you only know the basics of a sword. No way in hell."

"You're not my mom."

"No but I care for you and I know what war is like." I argued. "You don't know how it is to stick your blade into another man's chest, the horror of war..."

"If you can handle it then I'll be fine." Duke retorted, becoming impatient.

"You're not going to use a sword."

"Fine, I'll use Sais like you."

"No."

"I'm going to fight one way or another-"

"What about the bow?" Caspian suggested. "It will be an easier weapon to use because your aim doesn't have to exact. Miraz has many men, if you fire in the right direction, you'll be bound to hit something."

I smiled, "And you won't be in hand to hand combat. I approve!"

Duke glowered at me, "I don't have a choice do I?"

"Nope. I can beat you up with my pinky finger." I beamed, proud.

"Damn it, just wait until we get home, things will be different."

"Do you think you will be sent home after the war?" Caspian wondered aloud. "Or will you stay until your deaths like last time?"

I paused to consider this, "I do not know... Aslan has a plan for us all. Your guess is as good as mine."

"As long as we go home," Duke sighed tiredly. "I will be fine."

I didn't find the courage to agree. Narnia was my home too...

Friendly banter continued for the rest of the afternoon and I was very surprised when I found myself the outsider. Before my eyes Duke and Caspian bonded in a way that only males could know... It made sense though when I thought about it, they were very similar. I was happy though, because Duke was out of his comfort zone in Narnia. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, I could see the uncertainty and fright behind his strong front. But I would be worried if he wasn't scared- traveling worlds wasn't normal. People shouldn't have to deal with other wars and battles, but Duke was strong and compassionate. The fact that he wanted to help fight proved his good intentions.

Just like Peter... He too had stayed to help fight a war that he knew nothing about.

Oh crap.

No, no, no! I would not compare Duke and Peter. It was so wrong and unfair to the both of them.

"Kayla? Hello?" Duke touched my back gently.

My eyes came out a haze, "Yes?"

"We're all setting up camp for the night." He smiled, "Zoned out?"

I nodded sheepishly as Caspian carefully dropped me. "Sorry."

"No problem, but you missed Trufflehunter's offer of blankets."

Flushing, I looked for the Badger. He stood several feet away talking with a bear and I called out to him. Trufflehunter turned around, "Yes my lady?"

"I'm sorry that I did not hear you earlier," I lamented. "But did you say something about blankets?"

He had indeed and then gave me two blankets to use for the night. I don't know where he got such supplies, but he handed Caspian and Duke their own blankets. Soon, us three humans were laying by a fire, doing our best to fall asleep. But it was so quiet, almost eerily. I knew there was nothing to fear, there were many guards posted to keep watch throughout the night. But it had been a whole year since I'd fallen asleep in a natural setting.

"It's weird." Duke voiced my thoughts exactly. "There aren't any streetlights to come through your window or any cars to make noises... It's too... peaceful."

"You'll get used to it," I whispered.

He turned over to his other side, so that we faced one another. I lay in the middle of the two young men, but we kept a respectable distance between us. "Kayla, part of me doesn't want to get used to it."

I pursed my lips, I knew what he was going to say.

"I know that you love Narnia, it was your home after all... But I'm worried about you." He kept his voice low, probably hoping that Caspian would not hear him. "I don't want to sound stupid, but try not to get attached while we're here. In the end, it'll just make it harder when we go home-"

"You can't ask that of me." I muttered. "I lived here. I fought alongside these people, watched as my comrades and friends died in battle. I love Narnia and will always."

Duke nodded morosely. "I know... But still..."

I sighed, "But you're right in a way I guess. We're going to have to leave in the end."

"Hey," Duke's hand reached out from the warmth of his blanket. It was soft and loving as it brushed against my cheek and put a stray hair behind my ear. "Don't let me ruin your happiness, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. Look, I just don't want you to get hurt okay..."

"Okay," I closed my eyes and yawned. "Good night."

"Night."

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"This is the last day I wear this dress." I complained from Duke's back. "I'll go naked tomorrow if need be, this thing is filthy though... and my hair... eww."

Caspian grinned at me, "You look dazzling my lady, don't worry."

"You're a Prince, it's your job to be charming." I rejected his compliment.

"I'm not a Prince and I always think you look pretty." Duke said.

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, well you're a Duke, you're still a noble."

"Ha-ha." Duke trudged on, following Caspian. We three were at the front of the great procession, countless Narnians followed behind us. This morning, when I woke up and folded my blankets, I'd been shocked to see that our numbers had nearly doubled!

The minotaur who had attempted to attack Caspian walked a dozen feet behind us. I glanced at him over my shoulder a few times, paranoid. I still didn't like the idea that my former enemies were now my ally. I liked to trust those who I went into battle with... Otherwise I feared betrayal. As I looked over my shoulder, I watched as the minotaur sniffed the air.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Humans." He answered in his deep voice.

At his answer, everyone tensed.

"How many?" Duke inquired He was already tightening his grip on me, ready to run if the need arouse.

"Not many... But the scent is almost... sweet." The minotaur sniffed and then scrunched up his nose. "These are strange scents."

"Sweet?" I raised an eyebrow.

Caspian motioned to the minotaur, "Walk ahead and I'll follow you. Be prepared for an ambush, we'll see whether these people are foe or ally."

The two walked forward, leaving Duke and I behind. Everyone behind is remained tense, waiting for a cry from their Prince... ready to fight... They left our sight and it was several minutes of antagonizing waiting.

My ears picked up sword fighting, "CASPIAN!"

"What?" Duke's human ears heard nothing, but the animal Narnians had heard the sounds as well. They moved before I could even explain to Duke, they ran forward with weapons raised.

"Run Duke! We need to help!" I slapped his shoulder. "I can hear swords clashing!"

He didn't need to be told twice because he was running, slower than usual because I remained on his back, but we joined the stream of Narnians as we bounded towards the noise. As we approached, Duke could hear the noise.

We came over a small hill and found ourselves looking down onto a small clearing with a few boulders. On top of one of the rocks, almost as if performing on a flat platform, were two young men. One had a sword held out, dangerously close to the loser's throat. The Narnians all watched, unsure of what to make of the situation. The winner and loser contrasted greatly, they looked almost like opposites. One was dark haired, tan, and exotic looking while the other had hair that glowed in the sunlight, light skin, and a handsome face.

I slid of Duke's back... My arm reached out longingly.

"Prince Caspian?" The golden-haired boy said in a questioning voice.

"Yes, and who are you?" My friend answered with his own question.

A young woman, her dark hair and pretty features sending butterflies into my stomach, walked into view. "PETER!" Susan cried in alarm, seeing Caspian holding a sword to her brother's neck.


	11. Chapter 10

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**Chapter 10**

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Man am I tired. First week of school has drained me of energy.

_Now enjoy:_

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My feet were walking forward, an unknown force controlling them. I knew I wasn't responsible for it, my mind had gone blank... I suppose it was my heart that controlled my feet now. It pounded so hard and quickly I feared it would explode.

Anxiety. Excitement. Nervousness. Happiness. Love.

Too many emotions were filling my chest, it hurt.

"Peter." It came out so soft that it almost seemed like a ghost had whispered it.

I continued to reach forward, as if to touch him, to feel his warmth, to feel his life. He was so close... He was just there, right before my eyes. Breathing, blinking, and living. He was just right there-

Something fought against the force, something held me back from reaching my love. Something pulled me away from him, from my happiness. I turned around.

It had been a someone to hold me back. Duke's hand held my wrist and his face was utterly dejected and hurt. It was handsome, but it was marred by a mixture of emotions. I couldn't even look at him for more than a second, my heart clenched in guilt. He looked so sad... so lost... and so hopeful.

"Stay." Was all he said and it was all he needed to say. I knew what he wanted, I knew he wished for me to choose him. But I also knew that my choice had already been made. It had been made years ago... The moment I had met Peter.

I felt numb as I turned my back to him, shutting him out. My feet began to move again, the force stronger than ever. I expected the hand to fall from my wrist, to be left behind, but it stayed.

A memory overwhelmed my senses.

_"Don't do it." Alyssa begged. "Don't leave again."_

_"I don't think I have a choice. I'm being called..."_

_"I won't let go of your hand."_

_"You must!" I cried. "I can't have you risk your life-"_

_"Hey! Your four! Get back here!" A teacher shouted angrily. His voice was close- __very__ close._

_"Now or never Kayla." Duke smiled at me, his voice tender. We took a step and entered the doorway._

_"I won't let go of your hand..."_

_"I won't let go of your hand..."_

_"I won't let go of your hand..."_

The soft whisper of his promise sent goosebumps up my arms. I knew then that Duke would never let go, no matter how painful He would never willingly let go, no matter the danger it put him through.

I walked on freely, but I was not alone. Duke followed silently, his fingers intertwined with mine.

Caspian looked at the sword he held in his hands, so clueless to the great honor he had of doing so. The sword glinted in the sunlight... It was clean and strong... The Prince recognized the sword instantly. It was legendary: the sword which had killed the Guardian. The glint almost mocked me, as if daring me to approach. I dared.

"High King Peter." Caspian said, almost in reverence.

"I believe you called?" Peter's voice sent waves of warmth through my body, the flame grew stronger with his every word. I came closer with every step.

"Well yes, but I thought you'd be older."

"Well if you like, we can come back in a few years." Peter replied cooly. My flame fired up in anger.

"No." I whispered... He couldn't leave. He couldn't leave my life again.

Caspian was alarmed as well. "No, no that's alright. It's just, you're not exactly what I expected." He surveyed the other King and Queens. "I thought you were all closer to the Princess' age-"

Ed pounced, "What would you know of her?!"

Edmund's voice sent tingles up my spine. My Edmund was back... My feet picked up speed.

Caspian's grasp on the sword tightened, "You were not the only ones to answer the call."

"MAKAYLA!" Lucy screamed, she flew at me.

Her body hit me hard and I gasped out in surprise.

"You're alive!" Her voice trembled as she wept, coming to hysterics. "You're alive! Oh Kay! Kay!"

Shock wore off. I remembered who embraced me and I kissed her brown hair fervently. "Lu! I'm so happy to see you!"

"Impossible..." Susan ran to me, her cheeks flushed with excitement. "Kay!"

Lucy kindly moved to my side to allow her sister and I to reunite. Susan's arms wrapped around my shoulders and she squeezed. "Susan..." I whispered, feeling peace enter me at her touch. "I missed you."

Her shoulder began to tremble as she pressed her face into the side of my neck, I could feel tears wet my skin. She began to cry as hard as her sister, "Magic." She whispered the word. "It has be to be magic."

"Aslan wouldn't let me die." I used my one, free hand to soothe her. My fingers combed through her lovely hair, "I'm sorry that I couldn't say good-bye."

"Where have you been?" The words were accusing and angry. Susan pulled away slowly, and turned to look at her brother in horror.

"Edmund!" She snapped.

He paid no heed to her, his eyes were fixed on something behind me. I followed his glance and winced when I realized he stared at Duke's hand holding mine.

"You need to let go Duke." I murmured, without looking at him.

His next words weren't a surprise. "I won't let go of your hand."

"The time has come."

"N-No." He held his breath.

"P-Please Duke, I don't want to have to pull away." I bit my lip. "You'll always have me, don't forget."

He let go.

Free at last, I walked forward. This time, I walked alone and strong.

"Edmund..." I raised my arm out.

His arm came up as well, his hand extended towards mine. He stood in place, frozen, his face expressionless. I reached him and our fingers interlinked, his hand was as soft as I remembered.

"Where have you been?" He said hoarsely, and I saw his eyes become shiny.

"I was sent home," I rested my forehead against his and smiled. "But I was called back."

"You died." Ed shut his eyes painfully, and two drops of water fell from his eyes to the ground below us.

"Maybe in body here, but my soul lived on. Aslan gave me body again when I returned to our world." I sighed. "You were angry at him."

Hate flickered on his face, "He killed you-"

"Not him, but the traitor." I assured softly. "Do not blame him, I have forgiven and so should you."

Edmund opened his eyes, "I missed you."

"And I you." With my free hand, I pressed my palm against his cheek. A grin broke out, "You've lost your baby fat again."

He laughed and pulled away. Then he held me out and pointed at my dress, "What the bloody hell are you wearing?!"

"We had a dance at our school." I shrugged. "This is modern fashion."

"Well, I like it." Ed growled playfully before twirling me, making my grin widen.

Caspian sniggered.

Giving the Prince a hard look, I said, "You're all damn perverts."

"You know him?" Ed motioned at Caspian, surprised.

"Yes, we landed in the forest and met Caspian not long after." I explained.

Ed frowned, "We?"

I nodded confidently. "Duke and I both answered the call."

Susan looked at Duke in surprise, "You heard the call?"

He had gained control again, Duke was relaxed and looked almost normal. His voice sounded kind, but I could hear a hardness beneath. He was still hurting. "No, but Kayla told me about Narnia. When she heard the call, I didn't want her to be alone."

"Kayla?" Edmund, Susan, and Lucy all said together in confusion. I winced.

Duke put on a lopsided grin, but it didn't reach his eyes, "Yeah, I call Dolphin here Kayla."

"She hates that nickname."

Everyone, including myself, looked at Peter in surprise.

Duke recovered first, "No she doesn't."

Peter kept a cool face as he shook his head. "She told me so."

"If she hated it, she wouldn't let me use it."

"Maybe she just lied to spare your feelings."

"What the hell? Go on Kayla, tell him."

Then everyone looked at me, expecting an answer.

I frowned. "This is trivial, we are at war and we're discussing nicknames? I refuse to answer."

Caspian saved the day, "She is right, we must hurry to Aslan's how."

"Where?" Lucy asked, voicing her siblings' confusion.

"The modern name for the Stone Table." I said, "There's a lot you need to learn."

"Obviously." Ed glared at a minotaur. "I want to know why they're here and no one is killing them."

"A common enemy unites even the oldest of foes." Badger spoke up.

Reepicheep made his presence also known, "We have anxiously awaited your return my liege. Our hearts and swords are at your service."

"Oh my gosh, he's so cute!" Lucy giggled.

It was the wrong thing to say, because the feisty little warrior drew out his sword. "Who said that?!"

"Sorry." She immediately said.

"Oh, erm, your majesty! With the greatest respect, I do believe that courageous, courteous, or chivalrous might be fit for a knight of Narnia." Reepicheep put his sword away.

"Well," Peter said impressed, "At least we know that some of you can handle a blade."

"Yes indeed, and I have recently put it to good use securing weapons for your army sire."

"Good, because we're going to need every sword we can get." Peter directed this comment to Caspian.

"Well then," The prince said a bit smartly. "You will probably be wanting yours back."

Not amused, Peter took his sword back into possession.

I gasped, "Your sword!"

Peter went rigid, his eyes fell to the floor ashamed.

"Where did you get it?!" I said, hope filling me.

When Peter did not even look up to acknowledge me, Edmund answered. "We came to Narnia through a cave on the beach besides Cair Paravel. It's in ruins Kay, the Telmarines attacked-"

"I know," I told him. "Caspian and the others have informed us."

Us... Edmund seemed a bit ruffled at the inclusion of Duke.

Still, he answered calmly. "The treasury survived though, the hidden entrance is still in tact and we were able to grab our things from the royal chests."

"My wand!" I felt utter relief. "It's okay, thank Aslan because I'll need to fetch it to use my magic-"

"No need," Ed smiled a bit. "Peter picked your things up."

My heart skipped a beat, "I see..."

I looked at Peter, but he was staring at the floor, appearing to be lost in his own world.

"We have your wand and Sais," Edmund quickly continued the conversation before things turned awkward. "But I'm afraid we don't have anything to replace that lovely dress of yours... Can't say I'm disappointed though."

I flushed, "Ed!"

Susan and Duke laughed while Caspian sniggered again. Poor Lu just looked puzzled.

With a wicked grin, Edmund squeezed our hands, which were still clasped. "Come on then, I'm guessing we're in a hurry to reach the Stone Table."

"Yeah, the Telmarine army won't be far behind." Duke put in. I was surprised at this but then after a moment of thought, it made sense. He was claiming authority with the Pevensies, showing that he wasn't just a boy who got dragged along. He wanted to help.

Also taken aback by Duke's input, Edmund raised an eyebrow. But thankfully, he nodded and accepted the information. "Let's continue on, no point in waiting here."

With that, he leg go of my hand and then offered his arm. "My lady?"

"Good king," I laughed and accepted the offer. Within a second my other arm was taken by Susan.

Duke and Lucy followed closely behind.

I never saw what Peter did, he made sure to avoid me.

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"OH MY GOD SUSAN!" I screamed randomly.

She jumped, "What?!"

"YOU GOT MARRIED!"

Susan stiffened, "I did."

My smile fell, "Why aren't you happy? It took you bloody long enough for you and Vicern to come to your senses."

She cringed at the sound of his name.

Ed elbowed me harshly. "Ow!" I looked at him and bit my lip when he mouthed, _"Where's Vicern?"_

"Oh crap." I realized a bit too late, the damage was already done. "I am so sorry Susan, I didn't mean to bring him up."

Susan straightened her back and nodded stiffly. "It's okay, I need to start talking about him anyways. I'm tired of trying to avoid him."

"You don't have to talk about-" I assured her.

"No, I want to." She cut in, sounding sincere. "Would you like to hear about his proposal?"

I smiled, "Yes."

Susan and Lucy sighed dreamily.

"He found me in the gardens, I had been laying in the grass staring up at the sky in thought. The sun reminded me of you... It was so warm and if I stayed put for long enough, my skin almost absorbed the heat. It was just like the times you would pass through me when you were in your visions, how I could feel your presence... Anyways, I had my eyes closed when I felt something even warmer heat my hand up. It was his hand... And then I felt something strange between our palms. I opened my eyes and sat up. All he said was, 'Susan...' before he pulled his hand away. The ring was plain, but it was magical.

It's an Elvin metal, rare and difficult to work with, which explained it's plain appearance. The metal doesn't fuse with jewels or gold, nothing... Except for one thing. It fuses with sunlight, it absorbs the heat and sends out this sensation of almost... a flame passing through your body. I think I know how you feel with your flame, your magic. It's funny, because Vicern didn't even ask, he simply looked at me and I knew his question. I didn't answer his either, I simply gave him a kiss and that was it."

I was misty eyed, "I always knew his elfiness was a soft one."

Susan smiled, "Yes... He loved you, I think you were his first love."

I felt my stomach twist, "Susan, please don't-"

"I'm not upset, I never was jealous. In fact, I'm grateful that he loved you, because it taught him that love was more important than anything else. He gave up his position as head of the Elvin army for our marriage, he sacrificed much when he came to live at Cair Paravel." Susan's lip trembled and I recognized the signs of tears coming on. "So when... when I left him... He must've been so frightened to go back to his people, after leaving them for me."

"No, that's not true." I whispered. "I asked Trufflehunter, he knows many things about Vicern. Vicern was welcomed back to the Elves, they rejoiced in his return and felt no anger at you. In fact, Vicern became their King after his father died. He led them until... until he too passed on."

"It's not fair," Susan was crying freely now. "That I'm alive today and he's not. I deserted him, I left him all alone. He must think that I stopped loving him and just disappeared. Oh Vicern..." She raised her left hand and stared at the simple ring on her marriage finger.

"Aslan wouldn't let that happen," I told her confidently. "Think about it Susan. Vicern knew that you loved him, don't you ever doubt that. So for you never to return from a hunt, all your things and belongings in Cair Paravel, he would obviously think something happened to you. He would try to find you, and knowing Vi, he would never stop. So for him to simply leave Cair Paravel and join the elves immediately after just proves that he knew you returned to your world. Aslan must've told him..."

"I agree Su," Ed said kindly. "Vicern loved you more than anything, it makes sense."

"Aslan would take care of it." Lucy added.

Susan wiped away her tears, "The Aslan we knew isn't here anymore... If he would take care of Vicern, then why wouldn't he take care of Narnia? Why wouldn't he stop the Telmarines? What happened?!"

"I don't know," I mumbled. "But it doesn't matter, because we're back and obviously our duty is to help get things back in order. Maybe Aslan can't handle it all, maybe he needs us to do it."

"I think you're right Kay," Edmund placed emphasis on my nickname. "But what I want to know is why did Aslan bring back a normal boy back?"

"Boy?!" Duke snapped. "I'm older than your brother pal!"

Ed glanced over his shoulder and laughed, "I grew up mate, I'm probably as old as your parents technically."

"That's gross." I scrunched up my nose.

Lucy giggled, "I guess that mean's we're 1300 years older than Prince Caspian."

"Speaking of him, where is he?" I asked, looking around.

"In the back, talking with Peter and Trufflehunter." Ed informed me. "Oi, don't try to change the subject. Why is your _friend_ here in Narnia? How did he get in if he's not royalty? Susan's horn is only supposed to call us."

I frowned, "No, it's only supposed to call the Kings and Queens of old... I have no idea why I heard the call, I was no Queen."

"On the contrary, you were." Lucy chirped.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded, getting defensive.

"Whatever," Duke said. "I'm here and that's not going to change."

Edmund gritted his teeth.


	12. Chapter 11

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**Chapter 11**

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Three day weekend! Yay.

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It had been a year for them as well. England was still struggling with a time of war, but the Blitz of London had ended and the Pevensies were able to return to their mother. Their father had yet to come home, but it wouldn't be long now.

Duke was the history major, he was able to tell them important dates regarding the end of the war. Lucy had been so grateful that she pulled Duke down and kissed his cheek. Susan had also given him a kiss on the cheek, but was already tall enough to do so. Edmund merely nodded stiffly, but I could tell his initial dislike had lessened slightly.

But still, things were awkward. No matter how friendly Lucy was or Susan's attempts to draw Duke into a conversation. It was there was some invisible wall that separated the Pevensies from Duke. Not that Edmund seemed to mind.

I had no idea what side of the wall I was on.

If I talked to the Pevensies, it was about our times in Narnia and their life in England. Duke couldn't relate.

If I talked to Duke, it was about our world, Alyssa, my parents, or water polo. The Pevensies couldn't relate.

I hated the situation.

And I hated that I couldn't ask the Pevensies about Peter, because Duke was always at my side.

Tension, frustration, and anger was slowly building up inside me.

Edmund let go of my hand, "Your hand is hot!"

"Where is my wand?" I suddenly asked.

"Peter has it- KAY!"

I took off running backwards, pushing past the flow of Narnians, going against the tide. I could feel it inside me, the flame could hold it in no longer... The power needed out, now. I flew, so quickly that some of the animal senses of the Narnians couldn't even sense me pass them.

Golden hair caught my attention and I ran towards him.

"Peter!" I appeared out of thin in air in front of me.

He did not cry out in shock, he knew my speed. He simply stared at me.

"I need my wand!" My voice was trembling, I could feel my body burn. Steam rose from my skin...

Peter knew what was about to happen and wordlessly, he withdrew my wand from a shoulder bag he had been carrying.

Grabbing it, I ran away from the crowd.

I don't know how far I got, but it must have been a mile before I couldn't hold it in anymore.

In a clearing of trees, I exploded.

Fireballs, flames, and heat flew from my wand in enormous power. I had to keep my wand pointed low, so the trees wouldn't catch fire. I spun around, controlling the fire. It stopped coming out as random spurts and streams, instead it flowed out like a river. The flames were continuous and steady, but rather than shoot out into the distance, it created a tornado around me. Slowly, the height of the massive spinning tornado of fire grew. The air in the clearing burned and I felt my lungs scream for air, there was no oxygen left to breath in.

And suddenly, the fire died.

Air swept into space and I gasped when I could breathe again.

My head spun from lack of oxygen and lungs hurt deeply, but I felt much better all the same. I wasn't tense and didn't have emotions in my chest. I was relieved of the heavy burden. But the sudden extreme release of so much power drained me.

I felt my eyes roll back and body hit the grass.

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"Have you lost your mind?" Someone hissed.

I groaned and tried to move, but felt my arms tired.

"You could've killed yourself! You know that your magic needs venting often!"

My eyes opened and widened. "Y-You!"

Peter ran his hand through his hair, "Damn it Kay, are you trying to die again!?"

"No..." I whispered. I didn't have a problem with anyone saying that I had died, but to hear Peter say the words cut me deep. Then, I was fascinated by his small habit. "Do that again!"

He gritted his teeth, "Do what again? Kill you?"

I felt angry, "Not that you idiot! I meant run your hand through your hair!"

Peter pulled back slightly, surprised. "W-What?" He was confused, but all the same, he did the fluid motion again.

I smiled, happy again. "I've missed that."

"You have lost your mind!" Peter muttered.

"H-Help me up, I can't move."

Sighing, Peter slipped his arms under my body and lifted me easily. "Why didn't you vent?"

I glared, "I didn't have my wand remember?"

"Still, you could feed off the anger and let it out. It wouldn't be controlled, but it wouldn't be too strong to cause any damage." Peter fired back.

"Well excuse me, but I was trying to spend as much time with my lost friends!" I shouted.

"You fool! You need to take care of yourself first!" He snapped.

We locked eyes and glared.

Then, I groaned. "Look at us."

"What?" He broke eye contact and looked ahead, to make sure we didn't get lost.

"We're fighting... After a year of being apart. Well, a year for me. To you, it's been what? 30 years?"

Peter nodded.

It was silent for a few minutes, and hundreds of questions flew through my mind. I had thought about what I would say if I ever saw Peter again, and here he was. Carrying me and we were alone.

"Do you hate me?" I blurted.

He frowned deeply, "Pardon?"

"Never mind."

"No." Peter declared. "I don't hate you..."

"Oh."

"Why would you say that?"

I sighed, "You've been ignoring me."

"I thought that's what you wanted," He whispered. "Isn't it you who hates me?"

My jaw fell open. "NO!"

"Kay... I hurt you..." Peter's hold tightened on me. "No, I did more than that. I killed you!"

"It wasn't your fault-"

"With my own hands and sword I slaughtered you... The woman I love." Peter's face hardened. I had never seen this expression before, but I knew why. It wasn't the face of a 18-year-old, it belonged to a much older man. A hardened, experienced man.

"No, it wasn't you!" I insisted. "Peter, look at me."

He didn't, I don't even think he heard me because he continued speaking. "And with the sword Father Christmas gave me, how ironic! He gave a gift to save Narnia with, to fight evil, and it's the very sword I use to destroy Narnia... to destroy my life."

"PETER!" I shouted. "LOOK AT ME!"

He stopped walking and looked at me, his eyes blank and empty. I felt myself crying, what happened to Peter? Oh god... Is this what I had looked like when my heart was broken? It must have be, because I could tell Peter was empty and broken. I shivered, "Peter I didn't blame you, I knew it wasn't you. You weren't at fault, it was that evil woman's fault. I can only she suffered for the rest of her life... But I forgive you and I hope you forgive yourself too. You can't drag the past with you, you have a family to take care of. You have to move on."

"Like you?" Peter mumbled.

"What do you mean?"

"You have a new man in your life." He stated, expressionless.

Guilt flooded through me. "It's not what it seems-"

"It's okay, I'm glad that you're happy." Peter smiled, but it was a cold smile. "All I need to know is that you're happy and I will be content with my pathetic life."

I growled, "Don't you go all angst on me!"

"Does he treat you well?"

"Duke?" I rolled my eyes, "Duke is my dear friend! Our relationship is complicated Peter, let me explain before you start asking questions!"

"He looks at you in the same way Ed does." Peter noted, zoning out again.

It took a few attempts, but I finally managed to bring my hand up.

SLAP.

The quiet voice echoed the sound of my palm against his cheek. "I LOVE YOU AND YOU ONLY!" I screamed, furious. "S-Stop making this difficult Peter. I love you... Please... Let me explain..."

Peter stared at me in shock, his cheek bright red and tender. "Y-You love me?"

I nodded meekly.

"How?" Peter shook his head in disbelief. "You should hate me, I hate myself for what I did to you-"

"Shut up with the angst Peter!" I snapped. "All I know is that we're together again and I love you. So stop ruining our second chance by ignoring me!"

"S-Second chance?" He blinked.

"Peter," I smiled. "This is our second chance, we can be together again."

"But that other boy-"

"Duke told me that he has feelings for me, I'm not going to life. But at my request, we are taking things very slow and haven't even begun to court officially. I wanted to wait and see if I could stop loving you... Even when I thought I'd never see you again. But it's impossible, my heart is still yours, even if you were in another world. Duke helped me heal and readjust to my life, I care for him deeply. I love him in a platonic manner, not in the way that I love you."

"You're lying." But the happiness in Peter's face didn't match his statement.

I laughed, "I am not!"

Peter pulled me up with incredible force and pushed his lips eagerly against mine. When we pulled away, I was relieved to see that some color had returned to his pale, gaunt face.

"Sorry I hit you."

"I needed it."

"Peter?"

"What happened after I was gone? To you..."

He could not meet my eyes, "I died on the inside."

"Oh Peter..."

"I didn't have it nearly as bad as Ed though," Peter smiled bitterly. "I guess that shows you how much more he loves you. Ed nearly died, literally, from the grief. I think the girls were the only things keeping him from throwing himself off a cliff."

"WHAT?!" I screamed.

Peter didn't flinch, "He hated me, and I think a little bit of him still does. It took a couple of years for us to be on speaking terms, but it was Susan's marriage that reconciled the two of us."

"Why would Edmund be so-"

"He was going to ask you to marry him." Peter said casually.

My body went limp.

"At your funeral he put this beautiful ring on your finger, it was your marriage finger. I asked the royal blacksmith and found it that Ed had it made especially for you, it was perfect. Gold and with red rubies, just like the colors of fire. I don't know when he planned on asking you, but it was my fault he didn't get his chance."

"Don't you dare kiss me and then speak like there's nothing between us!" I hissed, by my mind was reeling. Ed had a ring? What the hell? No... No... He had promised... He promised that our relationship was one of sibling love... Oh Aslan...

Edmund had lied?

"He's great at hiding things from you. When he saw you earlier, it was like nothing ever happened. I wish I could do that too."

"I don't... I never knew..."

I DON'T WANT A LOVE TRIANGLE!

And with Duke... What was this? A love square?

"Talk to him before you say that you love me." Peter said quietly. "I already got in his way once and I screwed up my chance with you. You're right, this is another chance... But it's not mine to take, it belongs to Ed."

"But-"

"Please, if you love me, then just do this for me. Talk to Edmund first before you choose me, I don't want you to choose me. Well, I'm not perfect, I'm selfish and of course I want you. But I don't deserve you, the right thing to do is pick Edmund."

Neither of us spoke for the rest of the journey.

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When we returned the trail, we found that the others had gone on. Understandable, there was no time to waste, and it was well known that High King Peter and the Guardian could take care of themselves.

But I couldn't help but worry for Duke... He was all alone.

"I think I can walk." I muttered after a while, we had been following the tracks that the Narnians had left.

Silently, Peter placed me on my feet. Then he reached into the same bag I'd seen earlier and offered me my wand. I took it grateful for the comfort it brought, it felt so smooth in my palm.

Finally, the forest ended and we came across a huge clearing. At the far end was a massive hill with ruins throughout it. "Aslans How..." I murmured in awe. Standing on post at a door higher up from the small entrance door at the bottom of the hill, was a centaur. At the sight of us, he ran inside, no doubt to alert the others.

When we walked inside, I shuddered. There was no sunlight in here, only torches. It wasn't natural... I needed the sun. I felt stronger when it was in the sky above me. Everything was made of stone and cold, I clutched my wand tighter... I could make it warm in here easily.

"Oh thank god!" Duke was standing in the entrance way with Caspian. They were leaning against a pillar, obviously talking. And I realized Duke wasn't alone at all, he had Caspian.

"Where did you go? King Edmund said that you needed to release magic?" Caspian said in his thick accent.

"I did, if I don't vent it'll explode and I needed to get away from everyone." I explained holding my wand. "Peter was kind enough to help me."

"Right," Duke nodded. "Well, Trufflehunter wanted me to tell you that there's a tunic waiting for you in one of the side chambers. I can take you there."

Then I blinked. "Whoa."

Duke sniggered, "You just realized it?"

"I'm slow at times!" I laughed and then took in his new appearance. The black tuxedo was gone, no sign of modern fashion present in the traditional tunic he now wore. It was a plain brown and white, nothing out of the ordinary. I was surprised though when he still wore his normal shoes though. "Boots not fit you?"

"They'd take too long to break in. Plus, they're lighter the those suits of armor the Telmarines will be wearing. I'll move faster than them, giving me the advantage."

"Clever."

"Not really, just a fan of adventure books." He sniggered, "Come on, let's get you changed."

"And I'll give you the grand tour," Caspian said to Peter.

"Wait, Kay." Peter stopped me.

"Yes?" I said warily.

"Here, you'll be wanting these." He handed me the bag.

I peeked inside and smiled at the sight of my Sais. "Thanks."

"Come on Kayla," Duke pulled my arm. Peter walked away briskly.


	13. Chapter 12

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**Chapter 12**

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I can't stop eating. Honestly, I keep walking over to the kitchen to nibble on junk food. Ugh! Bad habit!

_Now enjoy:_

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"You okay?" Duke asked, raising an eyebrow.

My skip faltered, but only for a moment, "Of course, why do you ask?" I continued to hum happily.

"You can't stop smiling... It's scary."

"I'm so glad to be back!" I beamed, "You have no idea how horrible it was living without fire or my Sais. Plus, tunics are so comfortable. Don't you agree?"

He pulled at his sleeve, "I think I prefer my jeans."

I laughed, "Modern clothes are so unpractical."

"You never complained when we were growing up," Duke mumbled.

I ignored him and twirled, my smile never leaving my face. The tunnels were cold and even a bit damp, but torches lined the walls. I was glad to have flames constantly around me, I needed the heat or else I'd be restless. The mere size of the How was astounding, it would have taken many, many years to build such a fortress. From what Duke told me, tunnels expanded out beneath the large, great field we had walked across. I hadn't seen the Stone Table yet, the next time I saw Trufflehunter I would ask.

"You know, it's weird."

"What is?" I finally stopped dancing along the tunnel and resumed walking calmly besides my friend.

"I always knew that you were some warrior, I mean I even saw your little stunt with those kitchen knives... God that seems so long ago." Duke shook his head, "Anyways, it's just scary to see you have weapons at your belt. I mean, you told me stories... But I could never imagine you in some medieval outfit with a wand and blades. And here you are, lethal and a witch!"

"You'll... get used to it," I finished lamely.

"I don't want to," I heard him sigh.

We entered the main entrance room, the door was being guarded and I knew there were Narnians posted on the higher levels keeping an eye out. It was calm outside now, it was probably night already, but inside the How was total chaos.

Dwarves and centaurs ran about, some carrying shining swords and blades... Compliments of Miraz. Reepicheep had lead a raid on the Telmarine supplies, returning victorious and with an assortment of weapons.

Susan and her brothers were standing together, deep in conversation. I noticed she carried two bows... One did not belong to her. As she spied us, she waved us over.

"You," Susan pointed to Duke, "This is yours now."

She handed the spare bow over to a puzzled Duke, he suddenly paled. I understood, he'd never held a real weapon before. Nervously, he cleared his throat, "Uhhh, thanks?"

"I'm Susan," She smiled kindly. "I'm sure Kay's told you all about me, hopefully you'll know that I'm an archer. There's a long chamber not too far that we're using as the archery range so if you'll follow me, we'll start your first lesson."

Duke gaped at her, then glanced at me, panicking.

I patted his arm reassuringly, "You wanted to fight remember? Susan's patient, she'll be the best teacher. Good luck."

"Y-You're not coming?" He didn't try to hide his pleading tone.

"I can't, I have to help with the war efforts."

"Oh," Duke looked at the Pevensie brothers, his eyes narrowed slightly, "I'll see you later _Kayla_."

My smile fell.

No one spoke as they walked away, but it was Edmund who immediately hugged me. "It's good to have you back."

My happy reply was strained, I was very conscious that Peter's calculating eyes were watching. "I'm glad to be back too, but it's only been a year."

Ed pulled away and his brown eyes flashed, "Maybe for you... But it's been about 30 years for me. Well, for _us_."

"I know, I'm sorry that you had to think I was gone," I whispered, taking his hand. "But I'm here now, you both are here, let's just focus on that. I'm tired of being reminded about the past."

"Alright," Ed replied quietly and gave my hand a squeeze. "Well, back to business. Peter and I have been meaning to ask you... Can we trust this Caspian?"

I nodded, "I think so, he seems to be good-hearted. Perhaps a bit cocky at times, but he'll make a just king all the same. So, what's the plan?"

Peter cleared his throat and spoke without emotion, his face was blank too. My heart tightened slightly, he was hiding his feelings from me... Distancing himself. I tried to keep an interested face, but my stomach twisted in pain. "If Caspian's information is right, we're looking at two thousand soldiers and catapults. They'll most likely have horses and other animals to help them, but if they thought Narnians were a myth, then obviously their steeds will be dumb animals. They'll scare easily."

"We're going to need more weapons," Edmund frowned.

His elder brother nodded, "I want you and some men to attain more bows and arrows, we should be okay with the swords Reepicheep brought back."

"I'll go," I volunteered.

Ed grinned, "Well, I guess we won't need anyone else to come. You'll be able to carry a whole wagon of weapons!"

I shrugged, "Depends on the size, but if its made of wood and not metal then I'm sure I can handle it."

"They're not that large, much smaller than a caravan." Peter informed me, in a cool voice. I winced, but nodded.

"When do you want us to leave?"

"Now." Peter answered.

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We walked leisurely through the cold forest, the trees looked beautiful in the moonlight. Edmund's black hair glowed and even his face seemed to light up, but I doubted it had anything to do with the lovely scenery but rather the fact that he hadn't let go of my hand for the past hour.

I was torn. For years I found comfort in Edmund's presence and soft hands, but Peter's words worried me. Was it right for me to allow Ed to hold my hand when his feelings were not platonic? I struggled to appear happy, I did really try.

"Something's bothering you," Ed finally said, coming to a stop.

My feet stopped walking too, "Yes... There is."

He evaluated my expression and then sighed, "Peter told you, didn't he?"

My tears were the answer.

Edmund hung his head and let my hand go, "I'm sorry, don't cry. I should've told you the truth... But, damn it, you were so happy with Peter. I wouldn't let my stupid feelings get in the way of your happiness-"

"I love you too," I blurted. "But..." A sob escaped my mouth, "But, not in the way you want."

He smiled sadly and I felt so guilty. "Shh, don't cry. Please don't, I already know I'm not the one you're in love with... It was hard at first, but I got over it. I swear."

"T-Then why did you have a ring made?" I whispered frightened.

His eyes widened, "How, how did you know about that?" Then his hands balled up into fists, "Peter! How dare he tell you! Yes," Edmund growled, "I had a ring made. But I never meant to give it to you, it... was just the only sign that I had to prove that we could have something. I-I put it on your finger, it should still be in your tomb, but whether your body... Ugh, no, I don't even want to think about it"

I leaned against a tree, unable to meet his eyes.

"I'll never forget the moment my heart was ripped out," Edmund murmured, his voice trembling. "It wasn't your fault, you never did that, your sisterly love was enough for me... But when I saw your body on that night, just laying in the middle of a pool of blood, I all but died. The horror... I couldn't even look at him... He killed you, my everything and his supposed love. H-He doesn't deserve you... We'll always be brothers and that's the only thing that kept me from killing him, but I have no respect for him."

"Stop it."

"What?" Ed snapped, "He murdered you! He took his sword and cut right through you... Like you were no better than the White Witch! He took-"

I closed my eyes, "Stop it!"

"No! You need to hear the truth! No matter how strong that poison was, he should've protected you! He should've loved you!"

"Stop it!" I yelled, covering my ears.

"HE TOOK YOU AWAY FROM ME!" Edmund shouted, launching himself at me.

Hands yanked my face upwards and lips pressed against mine. He was desperate at first, but the pressure eased up, and soon it was a gentle caress. I froze, my wet cheeks rubbing against his. I held my breath... This wasn't supposed to feel good!

He ended it and pressed his forehead against mine. His lovely, brown eyes stared into my shocked blue ones. "T-Tell me... Tell me that you didn't feel anything and if you do, I'll never bother you again. I'll forget my feelings, I promise, I'll force them away. Just... tell me..."

"I..." I blinked, astounded. "I don't know! Oh my god, I'm a whore!"

"No!" Edmund shook his head viciously.

"I am!" I pushed him away from me and crouched down, holding my head in my knees. "Dear Aslan... I'm in love with Peter! I know it! But... why do you have to confuse me Ed?! Now, now I don't know anything!"

"You felt something," Ed said softly.

"It felt nice," I admitted, "But there were no sparks... And yet... I don't regret it... UGH!"

He sat down besides me and rubbed his palm on my back, "This is why I didn't want you to know, now we're in a sticky situation... What the hell was Peter thinking?"

"He doesn't think he deserves me," I muttered. "Stupid man."

"Well, he doesn't." Edmund said calmly. "And if he realizes it, then he's obviously not that stupid."

"Edmund, please, just stop talking." I begged, "I'm so confused and you're making it worse."

Thankfully, he fell silent.

With my head still buried, I tried to gather my thoughts. Everything was so scrambled and messed up. My life was messed up. I couldn't even stay in one world!

Edmund had... kissed me. And I wasn't upset. In fact, it was nice enough, but there was no fire, no meaning. Only one person could send my flame shooting up into a bonfire! Peter.

I didn't try to think anymore, I knew my answer. And it must have shown on my face as I looked up, because Edmund nodded slowly, accepting.

After a few moments, I began, "I'm sorry Ed-"

"Don't be," He cut me off. He wasn't angry, he wasn't sad... He was actually calm.

"But-"

"Hey, I came to terms with it many years ago... Don't worry about me, honestly, it's you that you need to take care of. It took me a few years, but I'm healed. I'm just relieved to know that you're okay... I nearly lost myself when you died. You were, and are, my best friend."

"But-" I tried again.

"Kay, please, don't try to reopen my healed wounds. I'm past it, I don't want anything to change between us." He reached out and held my hands, "I love you and look forward to loving you as my future sister-in-law."

I smiled at him, "I'v never had a brother, but now I do... Thank you Ed."

He stood up and pulled me to my feet, "Come on then, we have some Telmarines to steal from."

I sniggered, "That we do... And I was thinking of leaving them a little hello present."

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"YOU WHAT?"

"Burnt our royal seal onto every tent." Edmund said with cheer.

"And melted their remainder store of swords... It took a lot of fire, but I handled it." I added.

"Don't forget your joke on Miraz." Reminded Ed.

"Oh! I burnt his eyebrow off..."

Caspian dropped his sword, Duke burst out laughing, Susan and Lucy giggled, and Peter actually smiled.

"Y-You're jest!" Trufflehunter shook his head in disbelief.

"Uhhh, no, we're serious." I replied, putting my hands on my hips. "What? Don't think we could have done it?"

"His body guards-" Caspian started.

"Didn't even see me run by them," I winked. "These abilities do come in handy- look, I'm not an assassin but I like to have my fun. I didn't kill your Uncle, my little joke my seem pointless, but now he knows very well that I can get to him without breaking a sweat. It's all about intimidation."

Duke lifted his hand for a high five, "This doesn't happen in the books, but it's funny! Nice Kayla!"

I met his high five eagerly. "So, what did Ed and I miss?"

"Well, its almost one in the morning, so we're all going to go to bed." Lucy yawned and leaned against Edmund, who wrapped his arms around his younger sister.

Susan nodded, rubbing her own tired eyes. "I haven't shot an arrow in a while, my arms are tired. Good job Duke, you're actually much better than I was when I started."

"T-Thanks," Duke waved to her as she and her younger siblings left. Now, only Peter, Duke, and I remained. "Kayla, I can show you where you'll be sleeping."

"Actually," I glanced at Peter, "I was thinking of taking a walk. I haven't checked out any tunnels yet."

Thankfully, Duke seemed to tired to accompany me, he confidently leaned over and kissed my cheek, "See you in the morning... Well later this morning."

"Okay," I mumbled.

When he was gone, Peter cleared his throat, "Did you speak with Ed?"

"I did."

He smiled and offered his arm, I took it gratefully. We walked slowly and a nice pace, some Narnians smiled warmly as we passed by.

"Your highnesses," The female centaur I had berated before bowed as we passed by. Her smile was wide and eyes sparkling.

"Hello," greeted Peter.

"Hi," I replied.

We walked some more, and I realized Peter was actually moving us with purpose. "Where are we going?" I asked quietly.

"There's something I want to show you," He answered.

A few more minutes and turns, we came to a narrow tunnel with no light. But Peter reached out and took out a-

"Flashlight?!" I exclaimed, surprised. "When did Narnia get those?"

He chuckled, "Ed had it when we arrived."

"Oh," I felt stupid now.

Turning it on, he placed it on the floor so we could see where we were going, then he stopped. "Look." The light moved up and onto the wall.

The painting was simple and old, but it was the most beautiful piece of art I had ever seen. Six figures were drawn onto the earthy wall, the crowns on their heads obvious and emphasized. The smallest was a pretty young woman with flowing brown hair, in her hand was a shape of a vial. It was Lucy and her elixir. To her right was the unmistakable gorgeous adult Susan, I gasped at how lovely she had become. In one hand she held her hunting horn and the other held onto another hand. Vicern's features were strong and well defined, his figure was the tallest of all the people.

My arm moved towards him, and I bit my lip as I felt my nose tingle. I could feel my tears coming as I rubbed his face with my finger, "Oh... Vi..."

The flashlight moved to the left and there was the handsome King Edmund, he stood tall and proud, a dashing smile on his face. His dark locks of hair had grown to his chin and golden tunic gleamed, the sword in his hand was impressive.

"He looks happy," I whispered. "I'm glad he could smile like that again."

Peter took my hand and kept the flashlight moving. "Me too."

Besides Edmund was the painted figure of Peter. There was no mistaking that golden hair and face, his tunic's fine colors almost brought the painting to life. To my shock, the adult Peter had a beard... But it looked rugged and attractive all the same. His smile was much smaller than Edmund's, but it was there all the same. "You look magnificent."

"Not nearly as much as you do," Peter's flashlight lit up the final figure.

"I-Is that me?!" I jumped away from the wall, completely startled.

"Yes."

I was frightened by what I saw... This was no mirror, because that version of me had never happened. The woman looked to be about 30, her blonde hair reached her hips and flowed freely. A red dress was colored so vibrantly that I could see the flames just dancing in the fabric. This Queen's hand held Peter's while the other held a wand. He blue eyes stared out of the wall harshly. They were as cold as ice. I shivered.

"But," I hid behind Peter, not wanting to see anymore of the stranger. "That's not me."

He turned to face me, "It's what you would have become if... that night had never happened."

"I don't understand."

"Look at her left hand." Peter moved out of my way and replaced the light.

My eyes squinted, "I don't see anything... She's holding your hand."

"Look at her fingers." He murmured.

I did and felt my stomach drop.

On her dainty finger was the unmistakable shape of a wedding ring.


	14. Chapter 13

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**Chapter 13**

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I'm home sick. Oh man, I'm going to have so much homework to catch up on.

_Now enjoy:_

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"Did you ever think that maybe I was alive? By some miracle?" I whispered, eyes closed. I hadn't been this happy in so long... Just laying here with my head on Peter's chest, his arm around me, and hand stroking my hair. It wasn't a dream, it was really happening.

"I always hoped," He replied quietly. "I think a very small part of me knew Aslan wouldn't let you die, but your... your body there said otherwise."

"W-Where is it?" I asked, slightly afraid of the answer.

"In the courtyard of Cair Paravel, we built a monument... More like a structure around it, so that it had shelter from the rain, but there aren't any solid walls around it. Just a roof and pillars. It's... beautiful."

"I want to see it."

"No."

I opened my eyes, confused, "Why not?"

"I... I just don't want us to revisit the past. Why can't we just pretend it never happened?" He pleaded.

His tone was so weak, that I didn't hesitate. "Fine, sorry."

"L-Let's just go to sleep."

"Alright."

It was the most peaceful night of my life.

The morning, however, was not. We were waken up by an insistent Lucy, she was anxious and something in her face made me sit up fully alert.

"What is it Lu?" Peter was slower to wake up, he rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"One of the guards spotted a Telmarine scout, they know we're here." She pulled her brother to his feet, while I got up on my own. Stretching and placing my Sais into their belt loops.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, my body slightly stiff from laying on the hard ground with Peter. We had only a thin blanket between us and the stone floor, better than nothing.

"There's a meeting at the Stone Table, Ed and Susan are there already." Lu paused, "Duke and Caspian too."

I smiled at her, understanding the pause. It was strange for her to think that there are two other humans now, not just her siblings and me. We weren't alone anymore, there were others invading on our territory. Not necessarily a bad thing, just... different. I still had difficulty with Duke being here. He was part of my other life- it was almost an intrusion of privacy for him to be here, in my other life.

Peter tightened his sword at his own waist, and ran his hand through his hair, doing his best to tame the wild golden thing. It flattened slightly, but still remained messy. "Alright, lead the way."

It seemed that everyone was waiting for us, because no one else joined after our arrival. Duke and Caspian were leaning against the Stone Table, talking to one another with such familiarity that one would think they were brothers... Only the stark contrast between their looks proved it wrong. Ed and Susan stood a respectable distance from the Stone Table, whispering.

Trufflehunter, Nikabrik, Reepicheep, Trumpkin, and several other Narnians also had joined the meeting.

Edmund, an experienced military soldier, got straight to business. "The Telmarines have learned our location, their scout retreated before we could track him."

"They'll attack." I said gravely.

"It's only a matter of time," Peter agreed.

Reepicheep stepped forward, "What do you propose we do your majesty?"

"Our-"

"We should-"

Peter and Caspian spoke clearly and loudly- and at the same time. An awkward silence followed, everyone unsure of who would claim leadership.

I groaned...

This was going to turn into a fight for power, I just knew it.

The two young men stared at each other, a silent battle taking place. I would never understand it, it was a man thing, but Peter won. Caspian broke their eye contact and looked away, almost in defeat.

Susan and I exchanged looks, then snorted.

Peter paid no attention to us and spoke in a resound voice, "Our only hope is to strike them before they strike us."

"But that's crazy!" Caspian's head snapped up again. "No one has ever taken that castle."

"There's always a first time."

"We'll have the element of surprise," Trumpkin supported the High King.

"But we'll have the advantage here," Caspian argued.

Duke nodded and straightened up, "We know the tunnels, they won't. We can use that against them."

"No, we don't want them down here with us." I shook my head. "That would just trap us with no route for escape."

"If we dig in, we could probably hold them off indefinitely." Susan put in.

I gaped at her. She was supporting Caspian?! Peter's plan was much more strategic! Caspian and Duke looked surprised that she was supporting them, but her brothers looked irritated. I could feel the tension build as people took sides.

Oh yes, this was a power struggle between Peter and Caspian.

"I for one," Trufflehunter spoke calmly, "Feel safer underground."

Peter seemed to regain control because his tone became friendly, "No, I appreciate what you have done here. But this isn't a fortress, it's a tomb."

"Yes, and if they're smart the Telmarines will just wait and-" Ed began.

"Starve us out." I finished, following their thoughts.

Then I heard one of the most dumbest things in my life. "We could collect nuts."

Everyone turned and stared at the naive squirrel. Reepicheep's patience wore thin, "Yes, and then we can throw them at the Telmarines! Shut up!"

Duke and I had to cover our mouths to stop our laughter.

The tough mouse turned away from the squirrel and bowed to Peter, "I think you know where I stand sire."

"If I get your troops in, can you handle the guards?" Peter asked.

"Or die trying, my liege" The head centaur declared, sounding as wise as ever.

"That's what I'm worried about," Lucy said sadly.

"Sorry?" Peter peered as his youngest sister curiously.

"Well," Lu bit her lip, "You're all acting as if there's only two options. Dying here or dying there."

"Emo..." Duke whistled lowly.

I nodded in agreement.

"Haven't you been listening Lu?" Peter sounded exasperated.

"No," She spoke louder, not intimidated by her brother's title. Before his station, he was her brother. Simple as that. "You're not listening! Or have you forgotten who really defeated the White Witch?"

People looked at me.

I raised my hands in surrender, "She's not talking about me."

Peter named him, "I think we've waited for Aslan long enough."

Susan sighed, "I agree. Ed?"

Her brother thought for a few moments then nodded, "I think Peter's right Lu. It's up to us now."

"So... What's our plan?" I tried to get everyone back on track.

"Attack the castle," Duke shrugged.

"Right," I rolled my eyes, "But do we have enough soldiers for that?"

"We have to work with what we have," Edmund reminded me.

"Hey... I've been wondering," I scratched my neck nervously, "Where are the Elves?"

Susan stiffened.

Trufflehunter took a deep breath, "They died out."

"But I thought you said Vi went back and led them into a prosperous time-" I began, horrified. My head spun.

"When the Telmarines arrived, they attacked the Elvin city first, knowing that the Elves were their greatest threat. Only ruins of the city remain in the forest."

Blood drained from my face and I covered my mouth in shock, "O-Oh my god... A-All those p-people..."

"A few managed to escape the Telmarines and burning city, they fled to the mountains, but their race has disappeared." Reepicheep bowed his head sadly.

I looked at Caspian, "I swear to you that I will give my life for you to be on that throne, you need to fix things. Your people have much to make up for. Now, will this be a ground or air attack? I am eager for this to be over and done with."

"Air?" Caspian repeated, puzzled.

Peter's eyebrow shot up and he stared at me.

"W-What?" I grew uneasy as his eyes never left my face.

He smiled, "Brilliant."

"Who? Me? Yes, I know." I sighed dramatically.

"Air attack," Edmund walked up to his brother and patted his shoulder. "Wow, I forgot how clever she was."

"Oi!" I exclaimed.

Peter laughed and looked at his brother, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yes."

"What?" Susan crossed her arms, uncomfortable with not knowing.

Then it clicked.

"Gryphons!" I cried.

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"Kayla..."

"Don't even think about it." I hissed, pushing Duke away from the horse.

His face hardened, "You're not my mother."

"Yes, but I am your commanding officer!" I snarled.

"No, Caspian is." He fired back. "And he said that I can come if I want to."

"Caspian is lower on the chain of command!"

"No he's not! You're a Princess and he's a Prince! You have equal authority!"

Several fauns stopped walking past us, they stayed in place to watch the fight.

"Title has nothing to do with it!" I threw my riding gloves to the floor.

"It does!" He threw his arms up.

"Well then fine! If you want a title then I'll give you a title! Ed!" I grabbed the King by his collar and pointed at Duke. "Does he have your permission to go into battle?"

Ed's face paled, "Erm..."

"EDMUND!" I screeched.

"No! No he doesn't!" The frightened king wiggled himself away from my grasp and ran away.

Duke's face darkened, "He's not a King anymore... He doesn't count."

"Well I'm not a Princess anymore then," I muttered, then straightened up, "But I **am** the Guardian of this country and Captain of this army, and you will follow my orders soldier."

"Who made you Captain?" Duke hesitated, "And isn't General higher than Captain?"

"Yes, but that General is Peter." I smirked, knowing that the High King would only side with me.

Realizing this too, Duke glared, "I don't care what you say, I'm going."

"You'll die!" I shouted, feeling smoke rise from my hands. I paid no attention. "This isn't one of your adventure books Duke... This is WAR. You're not reading about it, you're living it. And with your lack of skill with blade-"

"I can use a bow!" He declared.

"Barely." I reminded. "You need more practice Duke. What the hell, think about this! If you die, what does that mean for your parents? Your _sister_!"

Duke was taken aback by that, he fell silent. His expression was unreadable, but it was torn. After a few moments, he conceded. "Fine, I won't fight."

Relief flooded through me, "Thank you." I walked up and gave him a hug, "I don't think I could handle you dying. I'd go insane with guilt."

He sighed, "How do you think I feel?"

"I've died before," I said bravely, pulling away. "Aslan will save me."

"Yeah, but I don't think Aslan is here anymore." Duke muttered.

That shut me up.

I walked away, afraid that I would lose my temper. I was awfully close, because I could feel the steam rising from my arms and tight fists. I found Edmund and Peter some ways further and they both took in my appearance.

"I'm guessing you won that argument," Edmund mused.

"And you're angry with him," Peter remarked.

I glared, "Why are you men so stupid?"

They shrugged, not even bothering to defend their gender.

Susan arrived, looking very grave, "We are ready to go."

"Lucy still upset?" I asked, feeling my anger subside.

"Yes," Su sighed, "She and Duke are trying to get Caspian's aid. They want him to override our orders for them to stay."

"That stupid fool-" Strike that, anger was back.

"It doesn't matter," Peter put his hand on my shoulder, wincing slightly when his palm met very hot skin. I cooled down immediately, not wanting to injure him. "They'll stay, Caspian knows they need to."

"Come on then," Ed motioned towards the waiting gryphons, "We have a castle to raid."

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I loved the night sky and I felt unstoppable as we flew through the cold air. Suddenly, I was envious of the gryphons. I too wished I could have their wings and freedom, to fly away from everything. To fly away from this war and battle.

Looking over, I saw that Peter and Caspian too seemed to enjoy the flight. Susan and Edmund though didn't look very comfortable, in fact they seemed almost sick. Literally. I had to laugh when Ed appeared green.

He heard me and glared.

My mirth died though when I looked off in the distance. The castle.

It was not what I had been expecting, not at all. Cair Paravel and the Archenland castles were beautiful and warm. This castle was cold, dark, and intimidating. A shiver went up my spine, but I knew it had nothing to do with the bitterly cold night.

The castle was eerily quiet, but that was good. Our attack would catch them off guard, everyone would be asleep at this ridiculous hour. That only left a few guards to defeat, then the castle would be ours. We all had our missions and knew what to do.

Edmund's began first.

His gryphon picked up speed and dived. They flew fast and silently towards a tower, I could see a guard walking aimlessly, obviously bored. Heck, I would be too if I had to watch a whole lot of nothing for hours in the middle of the night. Poor man though, he would never see Ed coming...

Ed took him down easily, and the gryphon flew away to join the other Narnians. They waited at the edge of the forest on the ground below, watching for Edmund's signal. Within a few seconds, we had it.

The flashlight's beamed went on and off.

Peter raised his sword in command, and I gasped when my gryphon dived.

My stomach did a flip. This was worse than a roller coaster's fall! "Oh god..." I mumbled, struggling to keep a strong stomach. We flew gracefully through the air as we came to the castle. A guard at a tower watched in horror as we approached, probably questioning his sanity. Were there really humans and flying beasts coming at him?

Caspian took his down with a swing of his sword. We zoomed past the tower and to ground level where Ed directed us, onto a walkway.

Two guards stood there, one had seen Ed. The man raised his bow and began to aim, but he fell. One of Susan's arrows stuck out from his back and he grunted as his body collapsed. Alarmed, the other guard took out his sword and turned.

But Peter had been dropped off and without much trouble, he killed the guard.

My gryphon was last to 'deliver' his package: aka me.

I gulped and put out my feet, ready to land...

Of course, grace decided to abandon me.

As I landed, my ankle wobbled and before I knew it, I tripped and landed flat on my face.

My nose tingled painfully as it made contact with the cold stone, and I felt my palms scrape up. I groaned and lifted my head, "Owww..."

Caspian was staring at me with wide eyes. "And _you're_ the Guardian?"

I got to my feet, my face dark red. I wiped my bloody hands on the side of my tunic, "I could strangle you with my pinkie, so shut it."

He merely shook his head in disbelief. Great, our first real battle had just begun and already I had made a horrible impression on the future king. Meh- oh well.

Peter on the other hand was laughing, "You haven't changed a bit."

"Be quiet." I muttered.

Susan rolled her eyes, "Come on, let's go."

Peter winked at me.

I wiggled my pinkie at him threateningly.


	15. Chapter 14

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**Chapter 14**

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Home sick and I'm watching Prince Caspian right now so I can get details on the raid correct.

_Now enjoy:_

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"See you later," I waved to everyone. "Good luck."

"You too," Susan smiled before running in the opposite direction with Caspian. Peter on the other hand lingered for a moment. He opened his mouth to speak, but I raised my hand to stop him.

"Hold on, I already know. 'Be careful' right?"

He smiled, "Right."

I skipped over to him and gave him a quick kiss, "I will... And make sure you take care of yourself too. I'll see you later."

Peter nodded, turned, and ran to catch up with the others. I wasted no time either and I felt my braids fly back as I sprinted through the castle. If any human were to cross paths with me, they wouldn't see me, I was too fast. Caspian had given me directions and sure enough, I found myself going lower and lower. Soon, I felt that horrible sensation of no warmth and knew right away that I'd found the dungeons.

My mission was to free any Narnians that Miraz might have captured after realizing they existed. Two guards stood at the entrance to the underground prison.

One looked up as I came to a stop, he dropped his sword in shock. "W-Who are you?" His accent was even thicker than Caspian's.

"Princess Makayla of Narnia," I curtseyed.

His companion's face scrunched up in confusion. "Who?"

"Night night fellas," I smiled and then ran froward with my Sais out. The golden handles hit the men's temples hard and true- they crumpled to the floor. I hadn't killed them, just knocked them out. Suddenly, I winced. Damn, they were going to have one hell of a head ache when they came around.

Reaching down, I took the key chain from one's belt. There were several different keys on it, but on the second try I had the right one. With the door unlocked, I simply opened it and let myself in.

This dungeon looked like those in the movies- dark, sickly, and scary. I bit my lip as I passed many empty cells, then heard snoring. I approached one of cells to the right and peered inside through the iron bars. Two dirty men lay inside- they were Telmarines.

Carrying on, I found no Narnians. What a relief, it seemed that Miraz hadn't managed to find any. I came to the last cell and was surprised when my eyes met a second pair.

I froze.

The prisoner was awake, a very dangerous thing. He could scream and raise the alarm, but a second passed... Then two... And three. He remained silent as he stood up and approached me. The man was elderly with a great white beard, I was suddenly reminded of Father Christmas. Silly I know, but they did somewhat resemble each other. The prisoner was round and pleasant looking, but his plumb face looked pale and sickly. I doubted he was given enough food and water.

Warily, I took a step away as he approached the bars.

"C-Can it be?" He whispered, reaching out towards me. I realized then that he thought I was a mirage, doubting whether I was real. Against my better judgement, I lifted my arm and let his fingers brush against my own. The old man gasped and jumped back. Then, his face brightened.

It broke my heart. He didn't look like a criminal to me, his clothes were regal and it was obvious he had status. Something about his face... it was just friendly. And here he was, locked away in a freezing dungeon, spirit broken... But now, now there was hope in his eyes.

"P-Princess..." He whispered and bravely look a step towards me.

"You know me?" I lowered my weapons.

"Your highness should know my student, Prince Caspian."

A lightbulb went on over my head. "Ah! You must be Cornelius!"

The tutor nodded, "That would be, my Lady."

Instantly, I set to work. I tried two keys in the lock, but they did not work. "Third time's the charm," I whispered as I tried again. This time, the lock clicked open.

Swinging the gate open, I motioned for him out, "Let's get you away from this place."

"Where is Caspian?" Cornelius struggled to walk straight. I mentally groaned, the elderly man wasn't quick on his feet. He'd slow me down.

"There isn't much time to explain Doctor," I pulled on his arm, leading him out of the prison. "We are raiding the castle and will capture Miraz-"

"We?"

"The horn worked," I winked at him. "The Kings and Queens have arrived, I don't know why, but I too heard the call and answered. Now please, let's be silent. We mustn't wake anyone."

We were nearly at the door when my sensitive ears heard footsteps- they were quick.

I pushed Cornelius behind the door, "Hide."

"I don't hear anything-" Then he paused. "The legends! They're true! You have Guardian powers-"

"Be quiet!" I hissed.

Thankfully, the doctor shut his mouth.

The footsteps were close, just around the corner. I raised my Sais and crouched, ready to leap and attack. The man rounded the corner and I flew at him-

"Caspian?!"

"Makayla!?"

We collided, both struggling not to hurt one another with our raised weapons. He broke my fall as the two of us fell to the ground hard. Caspian grunted and I merely groaned when my elbow hit the stone.

We lay there, frozen and waited. We listened for any sounds of men coming, but thankfully no one had heard. I got up to my feet and brushed myself off. "What the hell are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the gate house!"

"My tutor was not in his room," Caspian began to explain. "He must be here in the-"

"Caspian!" Cornelius stepped out into view and limped over to his student. They embraced.

I slapped my forehead, "We don't have time for this! Caspian, get him out of here, I'll go to the gate house instead. Be careful."

Without waiting for them to reply, I took off, leaving a whirlwind of dust behind me. I could hear Caspian cry out in alarm, he hadn't seen my speed before. No doubt Cornelius would explain about my abilities. The man seemed to actually know his history...

When I arrived at the gate house, Reepicheep and his mice had already taken care of the guards. Trumpkin and the mice were struggling to turn the greet wheel that would lower the bridge, they stiffened when I opened the door, but relaxed when they saw it was just me.

I replaced my Sais to my belt and took my place at the wheel, "I'll take care of this. Guard the doors and... Holy crap. What did you do that cat?!"

A cat lay on a bed against the wall, but it was tied up. It's legs and mouth were bound by rope and it looked up at me with pleading eyes... Awww, poor kitty...

Reepicheep cleared his throat, "It's an enemy."

I nodded, doing my best to ignore the cuteness of it. "Right." The wheel was not difficult to turn, in fact I didn't even feel the strain. It was like pushing a piece of paper across a table, quick and simple. After a few turns, I reached the end and tied it in place. The bridge was down and ready.

Trumpkin glanced at me from where he stood at the door, "So it's true then."

"What?"

"You do have the strength of 100 men."

"Uhh," I pointed to the turning wheel. "Duh."

The dwarf scoffed, "Bloody humans."

With my work done, I had no other mission to complete. My duty was complete and all I needed to do was wait for the Narnians to arrive. There were windows in the room and I walked over to peer outside. "Perfect," I whispered to myself. I overlooked the main courtyard here and when the time came, all I would need to do was jump out and join the others.

Everything was going smoothly thus far.

Then the bells began to ring.

I spun around in alarm.

"Well that's not good." Trumpkin noted.

"What is that?" One of the mice looked at me.

"I think that's the alarm..." I groaned. "They know we're here."

"What do we-" Reepicheep began, but stopped when a very familiar voice overwhelmed his.

"Edmund now!" Peter sounded like he was running, "Signal the troops!"

I peered out of the window, the other Narnians joined me.

Peter was running across the courtyard, looking somewhere above us. I realized that Edmund was still up in the tower when his voice carried down, "I'm a bit busy Pete!" I strained my ears and heard metal colliding. Ed was fighting someone.

Then, two guards appeared out of the shadows. They had their swords out and charged at Peter.

I jumped into the window frame and jumped.

"My lady-" Reepicheep squeaked, sounding frightened. I didn't hear what else he said because I focused on landing. This time, I didn't fall flat on my face. My legs shook slightly as they absorbed the fall, but I didn't fall as I landed in the courtyard.

I withdrew my Sais and flew across the area. My blade stabbed the first soldier, his legs gave out as he fell. The second was ready for me. His sword blocked my Sai and he swung, going on the offensive. I ducked and threw my Sai at him. It embedded itself in his chest, the man's eyes went wide in shock. A strange gurgling sound escaped his mouth as death took him.

Just as I bent down to retrieve my weapon, Susan and Caspian went flying by me.

I blinked, "What are you guys doing here-"

They ignored me and ran after Peter.

I watched them, then realized something. "Oi! Caspian! Where's your tutor?"

"PETER!" Susan shouted at her brother, "It's too late! We need to call it off while we can."

Her brother was struggling to turn the wheel that would lift the gate. I stood up, half listening and half trying to locate Cornelius. Seriously, where was Santa's twin brother?

"No! I can do this. Help me!"

My eyes scanned the courtyard, out of the corner of my eye I could see Susan and Caspian helping Peter turn the wheel.

My hands went my hips, "Where is that old man? Hiding?"

"Exactly who are you doing this for?" Susan asked in a huff.

"Hmmmm..." I continued to look, but found only shadows. The bells continued to ring, I could hear distant shouts and noisy metal. The guards were getting ready.

"For her?!" Susan exclaimed.

They grabbed my attention again, and I tilted my head in curiosity when I saw the three of them staring at me. Peter had a funny look on his face, as if he was daydreaming while Susan and Caspian appeared alarmed.

"You don't need to prove yourself!" Susan shook her brother's shoulders.

Peter snapped back into reality, the glaze in his eyes vanished and was replaced with determination. "I do."

"I'm so lost..." I announced.

Caspian shook his head, "Don't worry about it. Worry about them." He pointed behind me.

I had heard them thundering down the stairs. Hundreds of Telmarine soldiers clambered down into the courtyard, spilling out of doorways and passages.

"KAY!" Peter shouted in alarm.

Being that I was the closest to them, a dozen soldiers formed a circle around me and their fallen comrades. They swords were pointed at me, I was trapped.

"Surrender your blades." One spoke out, his accent making me think of my world again.

"Have you ever heard of Spain?" I asked as if this was a friendly conversation.

The man was in his forties and had a thick black mustache. Under it, his mouth turned into a frown. Clearly, he hadn't heard of Spain. Then again, they didn't even know there was another world. After a few moments, he seemed to come back to his senses. "Drop your blades!"

I sighed, "They're called Sais you know."

"Drop them!" He bellowed, impatient with my talking.

Before any of them could blink, I crouched, ducking under their swords. At waist level, I threw our my arms like wings and twirled. My blades swung as I did a spin, safely below their swords. I stayed crouched as they all fell backwards, bodies broken.

"UGH!" I ducked my head when I felt hot liquid splash on me. The metallic smell of blood met my nose... "Gross!"

"CHARGE!" A deep voice screamed.

I looked up and found the Narnian army running into the courtyard. They had crossed the lowered bridge and now open gate. Peter, Susan, and Caspian all ran to join their army.

"FOR NARNIA!" Peter cried out.

"And for Aslan," I whispered to myself before standing up. The battle began.

The Telmarines were falling faster than we were, much faster. Up till now, they had thought Narnians were nothing more than myths. Stories to entertain children at night and warn them against wandering into the woods. They underestimated our strength. Only one man would attack at a minotaur, foolishly not realizing it would take a group to take the beast down. Same thing happened with me. Men hesitated in their attacks when they realized who they fought.

That hesitation was all I needed.

I understood why they paused. After all, I didn't exactly look like a soldier. My girly braids of blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and soft features caught them off guard. It was horrible, killing them without giving them proper time to overcome their incorrect assessment. My clean tunic was wet and sticky with their blood, it clung to my body in a horrible manner. Bile rose in my throat- it had been a long time since I had seen death.

Duke wanted to see _this_?

No.

There was no way that he could handle battle, I knew that perfectly well. It would ruin his goodness and pure heart. Duke was a kind person, not someone made for war.

An arrow flew past my ear and I ducked as a reflex, sure enough more arrows swooshed through the air. They zoomed through the spot my body had just taken seconds ago. My eyes snapped up to the walkway a story above and narrowed when I saw half a dozen archers. Bloody cowards.

My Sais no longer bore any silver, they were covered in red. Not wasting a second to clean them, I hastily placed them into their sheaths, knowing that the blood would stain the leather. Oh well, I'd have to deal with that later. Bodies blocked a clear path, but I managed to sprint across the courtyard without much trouble. Along the way I tripped several Telmarines, allowing their Narnian opponents to finish the fight, but other than that I wasted no time. Reaching the wall, I jumped off the floor. Quickly, I jumped up the wall, using the speed to defy gravity.

"OI!" I shouted, landing onto the walkway.

The archers stopped firing and turned at me, surprised.

I pointed at their bows, "Not cool dudes."

They glanced at one another, then grinned. In unison, they swung their bows in my direction and fired. Their arrows hit empty air and collided with the stone wall, breaking into small pieces.

"Where did she-" One archer started. He never finished his sentence because I threw him off the wall and down into the chaos below. The men screamed and in less than 30 seconds they were all dead.

I stood there, breathing heavily and quickly. A drip of sweat slid down the side of my face... Okay, now I was getting tired.

Looking to my right, I did a double take when I saw a very familiar body flying through the air.

"TRUMPKIN!" I screamed, frozen with fear. The dwarf had been thrown out the window by Telmarine soldiers and with a sickening thud, fell to the stone floor of the courtyard. "BASTARDS!"

My body was getting tired of fighting, physically... It was time for a new approach.

With Sais back at my hip, I lifted my wand and jumped from my wall towards the window. I curled into a ball and went tumbling inside the room, but instead of rolling onto the ground I crashed into a Telmarine solder. There were four of them, and no sign of the mice anymore. Trumpkin had most likely been alone.

Fire flew out of my wand and engulfed the room. The men screamed and ran for the exits, I ran to cut them off-

"FALL BACK!" The voice of Peter ordered.

I froze.

Kill them or follow the order?

Bitterly, I stepped away from the panicking men and moved back to the window. "You're lucky." I told them coldly, then jumped.

Narnians were scrambling away from the Telmarine soldiers, they made their way to the gate.

"Get out of here. To the gate!" Peter's voice from somewhere in the chaos shouted. I couldn't see him, there were too many shapes moving frantically. My head spun- everything was so confusing. My senses were being overwhelmed. The sickening smell of blood filled my nose and lungs, making me feel sick. The sight of bodies didn't help either, and I couldn't hear clearly, too many shouts and cries filled the air. There was just too much going on-

I screamed when searing pain hit me. I looked down and saw an arrow in my calf.

"Draw back, get out! Retreat!" Peter's voice ordered.

I swore then gritted my teeth. Oh Aslan, this was going to hurt-

"OWW!" I hissed but quickly pulled the arrow out. Instantly, the wound began to bleed like waterfall. Severely pissed off, I tore my sleeve and used the fabric to bandage the wound. It wouldn't last long, but at least it would hold back most of the bleeding.

"Guardian!" Someone shouted my title.

"PRINCESS!" Someone else screamed sounding terrified.

I looked up and my world went crashing down.

The gate was closed again and a dead minotaur lay under it, creating such a tiny space that only the mice warriors and a few rabbits got out. Horrified Narnians crowded around the gate, crying out to the others who had managed the escape. My eyes watered and my nose tingled as I began to sob. We were trapped. Half of the army, including myself, had been left behind.

A winged shadow crossed the courtyard and I looked up. There, safe and sound, was Ed and a Gryphon. Ed's face was chalk and white, I watched as his mouth opened and he screamed at me.

I couldn't hear his voice.

In fact, all the noise died away. My ears fell deaf and I closed my eyes, feeling a strange sense of calm fill me... No... It couldn't end like this... I had to do something.

"Aslan, give me strength," I prayed quietly.

And then, the pain ended too. A tickling feeling shot up my leg and I gasped, then looked at my calf. The bandage was stained red, but I pulled it off... The wound was closed.

Aslan.

"He hasn't deserted us." I declared, then stood up. My eyes fell on Miraz. He stood up on a balcony with a few men, surely his general and captains. Their attention switched from the trapped Narnians to me.

"HEY MIRAZ!" I shouted, my grip tightening on my wand.

He stared down at me an amused smile on his face.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR EYEBROWS?" I sniggered.

Miraz's smile vanished and he looked furious. "SHOOT HER!" He bellowed.

Dozens of archers stopped aiming at the Narnians and fired... at me.

"FOR ASLAN!" I lifted my wand.

A great ball of fire encircled me, burning the wooden arrows into ash. When silence ensued, it was my turn to smile. "AND THIS IS FOR VICERN YOU MURDERS!" The sphere exploded and I instantly felt my energy leave me. A huge wall of fire flew at the Telmarines on all sides and fell on them like a massive wave crashing onto the sand of a beach. Screams of agony followed and the fire did not stop there. It enveloped them, covering them like a blanket. They collapsed and rolled about the ground in pain, but this was a fire they could not put out. My fury could not be put out.

With the Telmarines fighting for their lives, I ran towards the gate. My magical strength was almost completely used up, I was exhausted. But I still had some strength left in my body- now healed. The Narnians moved out of my way wordlessly as I approached the gate, "Run and don't look back." I said gravely. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed the iron gate at the bottom, and lifted.

"UGH!" My arms trembled, but they held. The Narnians, those who had not been shot, got to the other side of the gate. Sweat fell from my forehead and got into my eyes, I struggled to hold my eyes open. "D-Damn it, come on!"

The last of the Narnians got out.

"Your highness!" A centaur paused, "The fire is dying!"

"S-Stupid Telmarines." I hissed, my arms screaming. With one last push, I let the gate drop and jumped onto the other side before it came crashing down. I felt the centaur lift me into his arms as I feinted.


	16. Chapter 15

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**Chapter 15**

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Pizza is delicious.

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When I came back around, I realized that I had only been out for a few minutes because we were still running. The centaur was strong, and I recognized him to be the son of the head centaur. I owed him my life.

The Narnians ran swiftly and those who were injured were carried by others. They did not stop until sunrise and I smiled when the sun's rays hit my body. The warm, comforting heat spread through my body.

"My Lady," The centaur looked down at me concerned, "Where are you injured?"

I looked down and grimaced. My entire tunic was stained red with blood. "I-It's not mine." I murmured sadly.

He nodded solemnly, understanding, "Can you walk then?"

"Yes."

I knew that to be carried by or ride on a centaur was a great honor. Even Peter had only ridden Oreius in times of emergency, when it meant life or death. No matter how much time had passed, the centaurs were still proud as ever. He set me down and I cautiously took a step, my legs trembled weakly. My cheeks flushed, "A-Actually, erm, I don't think-"

"Then you must ride on my back your highness," He said it very formally and rigidly. I knew that it was a very generous offer, one not to be taken lightly.

"Thank you," I said seriously. Then, with this help, slowly got onto his back. The Narnians did not stop to rest, we couldn't. Miraz had most likely sent soldiers after us, but I doubted he would send many. My fire had not only hit his men, but it had hit his castle. His soldiers would be very busy trying to keep the castle from burning down.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Ulster."

"I owe you my life Ulster," I told him. "Thank you for not leaving me behind."

The centaur snorted, but it wasn't a human snort, it was that of a horse. I giggled. "You need not thank me your highness, it is you who saved me... You saved_ us all _when we were left for dead."

"It's not Peter's fault," I immediately turned defensive. "He did not want to leave us behind! He had no choice!"

Ulster said nothing.

For the rest of the journey no one spoke, but I was glad, because it meant that I could sleep. I don't know how I managed to stay on his back, but I did because when I woke up I was still there and not lying on the ground. As I sat up straight and rubbed my tired eyes, I realized that it was well into the day now. Wow, I'd slept for hours.

"We are here." Ulster announced, but he didn't need to. I had already recognized the wide field and saw Aslan's How in the distance. Our guards must have seen our approach because Narnians were running out of the entrance to greet us. They cheered and waved, smiles on every face.

"THEY'RE ALIVE!" A faun cried happily.

"THE PRINCESS IS ALIVE!" A fox jumped about happily.

I cringed, knowing that Duke would be insane right now. Oh man, I couldn't even begin to think about what sort of things he was feeling right now. I just hope he didn't do anything stupid.

We arrived and I slid off Ulster's back, just in time too because a female centaur charged at him. I had to jump out of the way because they began to kiss and embrace with so much energy that I feared for my freaking life.

"Whoa..." I walked away, traumatized. "PDA much?"

"KAYLA!"

I looked up to see Duke running straight at me, the first thing I noticed was that his eyes were red and puffy. I realized that he was crying, a sight that made my heart tighten. I never thought it possible: Duke cry over a girl? No way...

"H-Have you been crying?" I said in disbelief.

"WHAT TO DO YOU THINK?" He wrapped his arms around me and his shoulders trembled as he sobbed. "T-They said you were dead... Holy shit, what happened?! You're covered in blood! Are you hurt? Where-"

I pushed him away, still in shock. Then I began to laugh, "I can't believe you're crying."

Duke glared, "What's wrong with you?"

"Oi! There's nothing wrong with me!"

"Why wouldn't I cry? Damn it, they told me that you and half the freaking army died! What am I supposed to do? Just say 'okay' and get on with life?"

I chuckled, "If only we could do that."

He shook his head, "I can't believe you're just... calm. I mean, you just came back from the dead and you're smiling!"

"Not the first time is it?" I said quietly. Duke fell silent at that.

"KAY!"

I barely managed to turn around when Edmund slammed into me. "Oof!"

His arm squeezed me so tightly that my ribs hurt. I gritted my teeth in pain, but thankfully Edmund loosened up. "T-Thank god. I nearly killed Peter when we got back, but Duke held me back-"

"Only because I wanted to kill that _idiot_ myself." Duke growled.

"Don't blame him!" I pushed Edmund off me, feeling angry at their words. "He couldn't have done anything, war isn't predictable. Why the hell is everyone getting mad at him? Back off!"

"But he-" Duke began.

"You weren't there," I hissed. "You have no say in the matter."

His face flushed, "No thanks to you!"

My face hardened, "You would have died Duke, I can assure you. Even by some miracle you survive the actual battle, your mind would be plagued by the images of death that you would lose yourself. There is no way in hell you could handle it."

Duke clenched his fists, "_You_ can handle it! Shut the hell up okay? I'm so sick of you acting like you're stronger than _me_. Hey, you may have super strength and crap, but that doesn't matter! Stop treating me like a child because in case you've forgotten, _I'm older than you_!"

"You know what?" Sparks flew out of my hands as I pointed at him, accusingly. "Go ahead then stupid! Go take one of your precious arrows and send it through a man's brain. Don't forget to find his wife and two-year-old daughter and tell them that you've killed one of the people they loved dearest! Because it's just _great_ to know that you just destroyed someone's family in just one second! Don't let me hold you back buddy, go on big boy! Have fun being a murderer!"

"Screw you!" Duke shouted. "I was worried about you, I was even thinking about going to the castle and finding you myself... But clearly, you don't need me. So you know what, maybe I will just go off and kill myself in battle. I know that I won't be missed." He turned and marched away.

I glared at him until he disappeared through the how's entrance. Throwing my arms up, I screamed, "UGH! MEN!"

"Actually, does have a point-" Ed began.

I turned around and gaped. "Excuse me?"

He sighed, "You shouldn't baby him like that. I agree, he's not ready for battle, but he still wants to help."

"I don't believe it." I shook my head, "You're siding with _him_? What's wrong with the world?"

Ed laughed, "Many things... Now, let's get you inside and cleaned up."

Suddenly aware of how tired I was, I made no protest when Edmund lifted and carried me. The Narnians followed us inside and went their respective ways. We stayed in the entrance hall though, because the others were waiting there.

Susan and Lucy hugged me, but I was amused to find out they hadn't shed a tear. They had refused to believe me dead again- and so did not mourn. That's my girls.

"Where's Peter?" I asked, eager to see him.

Lucy bit her lip, "He's... venting."

"Why?" I blinked, "What happened?"

Susan rolled her eyes, "Well for one, he thinks that he killed you again-"

"What?!"

"Well, not as directly this time." She winced at the words, "He's got it in his head that you're dead because of him. If he had called off the raid then you could have gotten out in time."

"I see he is still as ridiculous as ever," I mumbled. "Where is he? I need to sort him out... again."

"We don't know where he is. After his fight with Caspian-"

My jaw fell open, "They _fought_?"

"Oh, Ed didn't tell you?"

She said it as if it were the most normal, casual thing ever. "No!" I exclaimed, annoyed with her brother now. "What the hell have I missed?"

"Language." Lucy teased.

I winked at her, "From what I hear, you didn't have the cleanest mouth either when you grew up."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Right," I laughed and waved, "I'm off to find that stubborn brother of yours."

"Which one?" They both asked, dryly.

"Oh. Good point." I didn't bother to specify though, we all knew who I was going to see. I looked everywhere for him, knowing Peter he would have tried to find somewhere isolated and private. But when I began to find all the outer tunnels empty, I started to think that maybe he was... No, he wouldn't go _there_ would he?

But after another ten minutes, I decided to finally check.

As I made my way, I came across a strange sight. There, several feet ahead of me, and completely unaware of my approach was Caspian. He stood tall and straight, with good posture, and his face had a very peculiar expression on it. His eyes were fixed on one thing and not moving, obviously something important because he was completely distracted. Curious, I followed his gaze.

The painting of Susan.

I looked back at his expression confused. What was he thinking...? He looked so concentrated yet unfocused. He looked frustrated but calm at the same time. It took me several seconds to recognize the expression.

"Oh!" I gasped, making Caspian jump. His hands immediately went to his sword, but he froze when he saw me.

"You." He stated simply, relaxing. "You gave me a fright there."

"And you!" I hissed, marching right up to him and slapped the side of his head, "Are out of your mind!"

Caspian stared at me in shock, and stepped away alarmed. "P-Pardon?"

I pointed to Susan's figure, "She's a married woman! Are you _insane_?"

Suddenly, his expression went from alarmed to frightened. "I, uhhh, don't understand what you mean-"

"Lying now?" I raised my hand to hit him again, but he took another step away. "Listen to me buddy, I have spent years of my life trying to get Susan and Vicern together. They got bloody married and you've had the nerve to fall in love with her?"

His eyes went wide, "I am not in love with-"

"I know what being in love looks like," I warned. "I saw your face just now. You're absolutely smitten!"

"I am not!" His face was a deep red.

"Listen well little Prince," I growled. "Susan is my dear friend and sister, I will not allow her feelings to be compromised by some Prince who barely knows her! Are you so selfish? Her heart is broken! She has just learned that her _husband_ died... Do you know how horrible it would be for your feelings to be known to her? Leave her be!"

"How dare you!" He sneered, speaking in his Telmarine accent. "How dare you speak to me on such a matter when you yourself toy with hearts!"

"What!" My hands went to my Sais.

"You are nothing but a common whore!" Caspian fired, enraged. "You are so cruel and heartless... Playing with the hearts of men who suffer greatly! First you divide the two great Kings of the Golden Age. Then when you finally seemed to have chosen the High King, you claim Duke's heart. Are you so fickle? Are you so ready to give up one 'love' for another? Does the word love even mean anything to you? AHHH!"

Caspian gasped for air as I slammed into him, shoving his body up against the wall. The blade of my Sai pressed against his neck and I could feel the heat rising off me. Steam filled the air and flickers of flight illuminated the dark corridor... Sparks flew off my arms and legs dangerously. The Prince winced when a spark touched the exposed skin of his cheek.

"You ever call me a whore again boy," I whispered harshly, "And you will die. You forget your place... Must I remind you that I sacrificed my life to save the man, a singular man, whom I love? You know nothing of true love."

With that, I dropped him and walked on.


	17. Chapter 16

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**Chapter 16**

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This is the busiest time of my life. I'm sorry that I don't update as often as I used to. But today I don't have too much homework and only one test tomorrow. (Shocker! I usually have 2 or 3!) So, here's another chapter!

_Now enjoy:_

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When I finally arrived to the chamber of the Stone Table, I was still steaming. Fireballs fell from my hands and crashed into the stone floor below me, where they faded away, stone unharmed.

But I wasn't the only one fuming.

Peter was running around the chamber like a mad man, never had I seen him so... so... crazed. His hair was in disarray, eyes wide and angry, face wet with tears, but expression so enraged that I was surprised he wasn't blasting fireballs around.

Then I saw what he was doing. Peter was trying to destroy his sword. He threw it against the walls, slammed it against the floor, and scraped it against the edge of the Stone Table. He grunted in pain and annoyance as he continued, still unaware that I stood there watching... horrified.

"Stupid..." He hurled his sword at the Table. It fell to the floor, looking very scratched up and dirty. "Useless thing!"

"I think you're going to need that..." I pointed at the sword. "They come in handy in battles."

Peter's head snapped up to the entrance. He stared at me in disbelief for several seconds and then shook his head, "Now I'm hallucinating. Bloody fantastic!"

"I'm real." I snapped, not in the mood for more of his angst. Plus, I was still pissed off with Caspian.

"Prove it," He retorted.

"Fine!" I skipped over and kissed him lightly. Pulling back I warned him, "Can we just skip the whole 'I-don't-deserve-you' and 'I-keep-killing-you' arguments? Stupid Caspian has put me in a right foul mood and all I want is for us to have a peaceful snuggling session. Agreed?"

"As long as you never leaves my arms again," Peter murmured. I think the kiss woke him up because he seemed to be in control again. He flattened his hair, pulled his tunic into order, and had a calm face.

"Deal," I consented and hugged him.

He rested his chin on the top of my head, "How did you survive? I could have sworn I saw you hit by an arrow-"

"It hit my leg, but Aslan healed me." I smiled, "He hasn't deserted us Peter... He hasn't deserted Narnia. Aslan just needs our help, that's all. I think that's why we've been brought back."

"Aslan healed you?" Peter repeated, uncertainly.

I nodded firmly, "One second the wound is open and serious, then the next it's completely healed. I don't even have a scar-"

"D-Did I leave..." Peter sighed in irritation, "Did I leave you with a scar?"

He took my silence as a yes.

"Damn it," He pulled away. "I think we need to have the 'I-don't-deserve-you' argument because I really don't see why you should love me-"

"No, we are not having this argument!" I pleaded, "I don't have a problem with the scars, they just stop me from wearing a bikini but that's not really a problem anyways because I don't like to show off my boobs to perverted pre-teen boys who have nothing-"

Peter cut off my rambling. "Scars?!"

I blinked.

"Scars as in plural?" He demanded.

"Yes," I did my best to sound nonchalant. "I have one on my front and back."

He paled then pushed me away abruptly, "That's it. No more Kay, I won't let myself ruin your life anymore."

I rolled my eyes, "Stop being overdramatic."

"I'm not! You're being ridiculous! Ed is completely right and you're foolish enough to ignore him. He's much better suited for you than I am-"

"We are not having this discussion again," I crossed my arms. "You just found out that I didn't _die_ and all you want to do is push me away? I'm tired of this Peter. You're wasting our time together... I don't know if I'll be sent back home again, and if I am, I want to spend as much time together as possible... Please."

"There's that too Kay," Peter said gravely. "What if we get sent back home? We'll be separated yet again. Is there any point in trying? You have Duke... A man from your own world. You should choose him."

I gaped at him, "Hold on. Just a few seconds ago you were pushing me at your brother? And now Duke?! You make it sound like Caspian was right!"

"What do you mean?"

"Caspian called me a whore." I grumbled, "Accused me of playing with hearts. Do you think he's right? Jeez, it's not like I asked for all this drama in my life. I was completely happy with how things were going before Aslan just pulled me into Narnia for the first time! And then I had to meet you and you had to be just so bloody perfect! Now I know that I'll never be happy with someone because you exist."

"Now who's being dramatic?" He joked.

"I know, I am." I took a deep breath and sat down on the Stone Table. "I think we both owe Caspian apologies."

Peter frowned, "What? I don't think so."

"I think so," I said slowly. "I put my blade to his neck and held him against the wall. What did you do?"

"We _both_ drew swords."

"I don't know the details, but the girls told me that you two got into a fight. Peter, I think Caspian has fallen in love with Susan," I paused when he began to sputter. "I know, I was shocked as well, but angry too. I don't want to see her hurt or confused by his feelings, not so soon after Vicern. I told him to back off, but he called me a whore and... Well, I let my temper get the best of me."

"He better not try anything!" Peter snapped.

"I know," I winked. "We'll protect her. But you're missing the point... We're both letting our personal troubles effect everyone. We're being too short with everyone. In the old days we handled things much better..."

He ran his hand through his hair, which of course made butterflies appear in my stomach. "I think you're right... Susan's been complaining about me and I upset Lucy last night, I was too impatient with her."

"Let's be nice again," I joked.

"Agreed." He grinned, dazzling me.

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Peter called a meeting in the chamber, wanting everyone present in order to discuss our next move. Edmund arrived first and he instantly came to my side and sat down too. I leaned against him, taking a short nap as the others slowly arrived. I awoke most likely fifteen minutes later or so to find Peter and Edmund talking lowly to one another.

"Why are we whispering?" I asked, keeping the voice quiet as well.

"We are conspiring." Edmund answered good-naturedly.

"Against who?" I yawned.

"Against those who conspire against us," Peter replied warily.

"Who? Miraz?"

"No, look across the room. Next to Susan." Ed urged.

I sat up and glanced around the now crowded chamber. Searching for the pretty young woman, I found her and looked to the people who stood next to her. There were two of them, and they too whispered fervently. Duke and Caspian didn't look like they were up to any good...

"Let's get this meeting started!" Peter stepped out and gained authority at once. Everyone fell silent and waited for the High King to speak. "As we all know, the raid was of some success and failure. And I know that many are angry with my decision not to call the raid off... I admit that if Makayla had not managed to open the gate, half our friends would be dead now. For that I am sorry, but war is not something that can be completely calculated and controlled. War is full of surprises and trickery."

Everyone stared at Peter with shocked expressions. I had to bit my lip to keep from laughing. Obviously they hadn't expected Peter to admit that he had made a mistake... I guessed that if he hadn't, they would have protested and accused him unjustly. Now, their anger would only look foolish since he apologized.

Edmund, equally amused, took charge from there. "So let's get to it then. We're here to figure out what our next action is. We know that the Telmarines will attack us here at the how, our scouts have visually confirmed that their army marches this way. They should be here by tomorrow night, but when they will attack is unknown."

"They will most likely make camp across the river," I put in. "I've given is some thought and knowing that they will realize their men tired from the march, they'll make camp... Also to give us time to surrender, they're arrogant from what I can see. So that will buy us time, but how much I do not know."

"What about a surprise attack?" Susan proposed.

Ed shook his head, "No... They'd expect that, we already tried one on the castle. They'll have their guard up and be ready for us. We can't risk it."

"We should have never risked a surprise attack in the first place." Someone said coldly.

All eyes snapped to the speaker.

Duke paid no heed as he stepped away from the pillar he leaned against. He took a few steps forward for everyone to see him, "Caspian said from the very start that we should wait here and let them attack us. He knew that we would have the advantage... Bu instead we went with his plan," He pointed at Peter bitterly. "And look where that got us! We nearly had half our army and one of your royals killed! We didn't even kill Miraz... only got one prisoner free!"

"Who are you to criticize?" I snapped, but then winced when I heard my tone. Taking a moment, I got my anger under control. "Look, what I mean to say is that you are wrong to pass judgment on something that you have had no experience with."

Caspian shifted from one leg to the other, clearly uncomfortable. Duke on the other hand continued to argue, "I may not be a soldier but I am a strategist. The way I see things, Caspian should lead the army."

Silence followed. Then chaos.

The Narnians were instantly shouting their protests and opinions, most were outraged at Duke's words, including myself. But gasping was all I managed, I stood frozen in place. Ugh... My head... it... feels sort of... fuzzy. Edmund, offended by Duke's insult, launched forward, fists raised, "Take that back!"

Peter reached out and grabbed Ed's shoulders, "Stop!"

Duke though had met Ed's threat eagerly. His fists were raised as well and pulled back, ready to strike. "Come on, let it go!"

Ugh... Now I was feeling really dizzy.

"No! He's an idiot! And if he thinks he can just say... Kay?"

"I... don't feel too good..." My body swayed and I fell against the Stone Table.

The fighting stopped abruptly. Duke's fists lowered, "Kayla, what's the matter? KAYLA!"

I groaned as everything turned black.


	18. Chapter 17

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**Chapter 17**

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Wow, I'm very surprised at how much negativity I'm getting about Kay now.

Allow me to defend her:

Kay is no longer a happy, carefree girl in love that you saw in the first story. Think about what's happened to her. She was killed by Peter, the very men she loved, sent back abruptly to her home world (without saying goodbye or any sense of closure), and thrown back into modern society. Then to make matters worse, she's confused. Duke's feelings have her confused. And just as she begins to finally move on and give Duke a fair chance... She's _thrown_ back into Narnia.

So how can you expect someone who has gone through all this to be happy all the time? She's NOT a Mary Sue. She's not going to be perfectly calm... She has a temper like everyone else. And she's under lots of pressure, which makes it harder to control. Let's give her a break shall we?

_Now enjoy:_

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My body didn't feel right... like it held no weight. Suddenly, I had an idea what it felt like to walk on the moon, completely weightless and free. I looked down at myself, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Then I realized where exactly I stood.

Instead of finding myself underground, next to the monumental Stone Table... I was standing in the middle of wilderness.

"Huh." I looked around, "Am I dreaming?"

There were no Narnians or signs of life, only trees and stone. I looked up and gasped, I was standing at the foot of one of the largest mountains I had ever seen. From where I stood, I could see snow covering the tip. I bit my lip, feeling very small and insignificant all of a sudden. Then, something caught attention.

Movement.

"HEY!" I screamed, my stomach dropping. I sprinted up a small path that led upwards, it didn't look like anyone had walked through it recently, but it was a path all the same. "HEY WAIT!"

I sprinted quickly and within a few minutes found myself high above the ground. "Narnian! Wait!" When I came to the ledge where I'd seen movement, there was no one... Damn it, too slow.

Wait.

I strained my ears and heard footsteps, but something made me frown. The sounds of the footsteps were too strong and loud. Was that an... echo? Yes, yes it was! Running, I followed the sounds and found myself at the entrance of a small cave. A large boulder sat several feet in front of the entrance. Ah, no wonder I had not seen the cave. From down below or most angles, the boulder successfully hid the cave.

Not wasting another second on my surprise, I ran inside the cave. A senseless move, because I had no idea whether there were dangerous animals within. Even more stupid because I had no weapons or knowledge of the caves, I could get lost. But... I don't know, something made me go in.

With extra speed, I caught up the cause of the footsteps.

I rounded the corner, expecting to come across a faun. But instead, I nearly ran into the back of an...

Elf.

My eyes went wide and I froze in place. The elf on the other hand did not acknowledge me in the least, something that amazed me. I could be silent and stealthy, even for the senses of an elf, but I had made no secret of my running. This elf should have heard me coming- even if he wasn't paying attention. To his ears, my footsteps would be loud and clear.

"You!" I cried out, snapping out of my shock. "Elf!"

The elf ignored me, continuing his walk down the tunnel. For the first time, I looked around me. It was like I was in one of the tunnels back in Aslan's Howe, the stone hallway was no different. The color of the rocks were darker, but that was it.

"Elf!" I stepped forward, now grinning. This was fantastic! The elves were not extinct... But why was he ignoring me? "Hello?" I rolled my eyes and reached out, to tap him on the shoulder. "Why do you- HOLY CRAP!"

I jumped back, frightened.

My hand had flown through the elf's back, as if I were a ghost. But I wasn't the only one who reacted in terror. The elf tensed immediately and gasped, his hand coming up to his chest in alarm. He said something under his breath, I missed it because I was too busy examining my shaking hand.

What the hell...?

Then a lightbulb went on over my head.

"I'm... I'm having a vision!" I choked, half laughing and half crying. This was real... but I wasn't really there, only through magic. Just like all the times before, I could only be felt as a warming sensation. I couldn't be heard or seen. I was nothing more than an invisible flame.

And damn it, this elf would know nothing of this unless he knew legends! And judging by the fact he was still freaking out, I doubted he did. Frustrated, I ran through him entirely, making him jump in fright. Ugh, why would I be sent this vision if I could do nothing?

"I'm useless here!" I muttered, watching as the handsome elf stood up straight. He looked worried, but determined at the same time. Without a word, he walked quickly down the corridor again, most likely telling himself that he was crazy. With nothing else to do, I followed loyally. Clearly the elf lived here or at least came often to the caves, because he did not hesitate as he turned and chose directions in the confusing tunnels. Within minutes I was completely and utterly lost.

But then... Then we entered a great and large hall.

And I nearly passed out right then and there. Because I knew that this was all real... Which meant that every single living thing in here actually was alive, in this very room at this very moment while my body was back at Aslan's Howe.

That meant that the Elvin population was alive, because I had stumbled into their hidden society in the mountains... The lost elves were not extinct at all.

Sure, they no longer lived in a great and large city, but the point was that they lived. Here they were, right before me, moving about the huge hall. Obviously this was their center because long tables were connected to others, making it appear that the elves dined here as a community. They all sat, laughing and talking, food before them on the tables.

The elf that I had trailed had disappeared, I had been to busy gawking to notice him blend in with his people.

The elves had fallen far from their great status, but they looked happy still. Their faces were gaunt and pale, clearly they had been hiding for more than a thousand years. By staying in the caves for so long, their already light skin had turned almost marble pale.

"Now... what the heck am I supposed to do?" I groaned, not having any sort of plan. Before I could try and think of an idea, an elf supplied one for me.

He was a bit round, for an elf at least, and his face was very pale. He stood up and pushed his blonde hair behind his pointed ear, and brought a goblet up. "I would like to make a toast!"

The hall quieted and the elvin population all stood up, bringing their own drinks. They were grinning, children laughing, and some glanced to the front of the hall. I, on the other hand kept my eyes focused on the speaker.

The blonde elf cleared his throat, and turned his body so that he faced the front of the hall as well. The rest of the elves followed suit. "I would like to make a toast to our hero... Our savior whom we have awaited for many years. May his return end our hiding and awaken the Elves again! Let us reclaim our land!"

Cheers broke up, and the elf lifted his goblet. The elves raised their drinks too and together, in perfect unison, they said in their lovely, soft voices, "HAIL KING VICERN!"

And as if my heart hadn't been beating fast enough, it nearly exploded. For the first time I too looked at the front of the room and fell to my knees when I saw who sat there. In the center seat on a separate and obviously privileged table was a familiar friend.

Vicern sat there... Young and healthy... and alive.


	19. Chapter 18

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**Chapter 17**

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Well, everyone will have different interpretations and opinions of characters. That's just literature and I love it. But as an author I can only hope that I convey the character as accurately as possible...

I don't know about you, but I've never been thrown into another world without being asked. Heck, I can't say I've ever been a witch or tortured in my life. (Unless you can call pop quizzes torture...) But I'm pretty sure that if this all happened to me, I wouldn't be a very happy camper. I mean, damn I'd be freaking pissed off and angry. Beheading monsters would be within my capability... haha.

Whatever. Have your opinion... All I can say is that I hope you sincerely enjoy my writings. That's all I ask for.

_Now enjoy:_

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"VICERN YOU JERK! YOU'RE ALIVE!" I laughed and got to my feet. No one turned their heads at my scream, since they couldn't hear me obviously, but I certainly gained their attention another way. Extremely excited, I nearly went insane with the happiness that exploded inside of me, I raced towards His Elfiness... But I had my arms stretched out so that they went right through every single elf that stood in the rows.

If I hadn't been so caught in staring at my smiling friend, I would've been highly amused to see the rows of elves all scream, gasp, shiver, or even drop their goblets in shock and surprise. Clearly, they all had felt my fire.

Their reactions caused the rest of the elves to look at their family and friends in surprise. Murmurs broke out at their strange behavior. It was like a wave of jumping elves... The reactions went from one end of the line to the other, ending with the elves who were closest to Vicern because at that point, I lowered my arms.

"Oh man, this changes everything." I whispered, realizing the implications of this discovery. The elves were alive... This meant that we had gained another advantage over the Telmarines. Perhaps this was the edge that would give us victory in this war.

As I came to the table, I noticed that Vicern wasn't alone. There were two other elves at this table of authority, one each to the side of Vicern. On his right (my left) sat an older elf whose eyes were currently wide- he was just as confused as anyone regarding two lines of elves jumping up in fright as if someone had pinched their behind. He was a pleasant looking man I suspected, but the lack of color on his pale skin was proof of the hard times he'd faced.

But the other person seemed to be the complete opposite of this. She was the most beautiful person I had ever seen, the runway models did not even compare. Instead of the paleness giving her a sickly look, it gave her a glowing appearance. The fire and candle's light lit her skin so that it looked like the moonlight radiating... Damn, I suddenly felt very intimidated.

Then she totally lost all respect by saying, "What's the matter with them?"

It was the way that she said it... It was not out of concern, but instead of mockery. Right, scratch everything that I said. This young beauty is not the moon... She's ice. And her heart was ice judging by her attitude. I decided then and there I did not like her.

"I do not know Lady Lunka." Vi got to his feet and raised his voice, "What is the matter my people?"

My jaw dropped. "Did you just say... Bloody hell you sound like a King."

'My people'?

_snort._

Since when was he so regal and mature? Pft, the Vicern I knew had the maturity level of a five year old. Well... most of the time at least. Damn, I guess Susan really made him grow up.

"Y-Your highness!" An elleth spoke up, but she seemed unable to continue. She merely shivered and sat down, holding a hand up to her heart in shock.

A child besides her, most likely her daughter given the similar color of eyes and hair, patted her mother's back. It was an action of concern and worry... I had to smile. The young girl, who was probably ten in human years, was obviously a bit frightened to see her mother in such a state. "It's okay Momma... It felt nice."

Vicern moved his chair out of the way and walked around the table, then straight up to the child. Getting to his knees, he asked in a soft voice, "What felt nice?"

"The fire." The child smiled so brightly that I felt my eyes burn. She was so cute!

Vi stiffened slightly, "F-Fire?"

I walked up to his side and got to my knees, then inspected him closely. Leaning over, I brought my face so close to his that our noses nearly touched. Vicern looked healthy... And her certainly did not appear to be very pale at all. He looked so dark compared to the rest of his people. This meant that he had recently arrived to the elves, he hadn't been in the caves long enough to lose his sun tan that he gained from riding outside or hunting. Vicern loved the outdoors, unlike Susan who enjoyed a nice day in the library.

Vicern's eyes were clear and shining, they were as gorgeous as I remembered them. But there was something different about them... And after a few moments, I gasped. Vicern's eyes were older... But not in a physical way. Sure, his body and face were that of a young man, but there was a strange... a strange... Oh I don't know to explain it. But somehow, these were the eyes that belonged to a grown man.

That's when I realized that the fun, easygoing Vicern had completely grown up. He, like Peter, had become an adult with heavy responsibilities. True, they could still laugh and smile, but there was always an air of age that belonged to my father. Vicern carried the same aura of authority that his father had possessed.

I smiled and wished he could hear me, "I'm so proud of you..."

But of course, Vicern's ears fell deaf to my words.

For a split second it looked like he was staring into my eyes, and I nearly waved to him in greeting, but then his eyes moved very slightly to the right. And then I remembered that I was nothing more than a ghost, Vi was looking at the beautiful elvin child, not me.

"Yes, the fire." The child said happily, like this sort of thing happened all the time. I pulled away from Vicern with a deep sigh. Dear God, I was going to go insane with this sort of life. Dead people coming back to life... Jumping worlds... Gaining and losing magic... Being a soldier in war... Having my heart torn up then mended...

Man, life was complicated. Too complicated.

Why can't Aslan just place me and Peter on some isolated island with a lifetime supply of coconuts to live on? With the warm sun and lovely beach to enjoy everyday...

Hah! As if!

"Tell me little one," Vicern winked, making the young girl giggle. "What did this fire feel like?"

I chuckled- Vicern always had a way with children. I had no doubt that he would have made a wonderful father... Damn, any kid from Vicern and Susan would have been a freaking model... That kid would have been too good looking for his or her own good.

Hmmm, I wonder what my and Peter's child would look like...

Whoa, _soooo_ not going there.

"I only felt it for a second," The girl mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "But it was nice. It felt like the times Momma holds me at night when I have a nightmare, when I know I'm warm and safe."

"Does it pass through you, it's not just one place that feels good?" Vi asked quietly, he suddenly looked sick. The kind of sick where you're about to throw up.

I grinned wickedly. Vicern was catching on. "Dang, you not only matured... But you got _smart_ too?!" I whistled, "Susan can work miracles."

Good thing Vicern didn't hear that, because he could have easily punched me since I was right next to him.

"She's right," An elf who looked roughly the same age as my parents said. He motioned to the little girl, "It was like a fire, but a nice sensation. It just caught me off guard-"

"It was so random!"

"I've never felt this before sire!"

"Is it a disease?"

"Does a disease feel so comforting?"

"It couldn't possibly be dangerous, could it?"

"Why is it only so few of us felt it?"

Vicern held up his hand to pacify the alarmed elves. "Am I correct when I believe that it is almost as if this fire passed through you like a wave?"

"Yes!" They all answered.

The little girl tapped Vicern on the shoulder, "Excuse me, King, but why didn't you feel it? Are you not special enough?"

Her mother snapped up to attention, "Watch your words!"

"Sorry," the child winced, knowing she'd done something wrong.

Vicern though smiled, but it was a rather sad one. "I once had a friend who could become a ghost and pass through you... And when she did, it was like she lit your body on fire or you sat besides the fireplace, filled with loving warmth."

"That's what it was like!" The girl jumped up and down, clapping her hands in excitement. "Your friend came to me!"

I couldn't help but laugh. This girl was too adorable.

"No," Vi frowned. "My friend died a long time ago, she couldn't possibly-"

I took my opportunity, and dived through Vicern. He cut off and jumped to his feet, "Kay?!"

I ran through him again.

Vicern's face paled, "You... No, it can't be."

And just as I walked through him, the vision ended. Huh, I hadn't been useless after all.


	20. Chapter 19

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**Chapter 19**

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Whoops, I titled the last chapter '17' instead of '18'. I'll try to fix that later if I have time.

Hurrah! I have a week off from school!

Hopefully that means more writing time, but I still have the SAT to study for. Ugh, dang it. haha

_Now enjoy:_

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I sat up instantly, completely aware of my surroundings. My senses were clear and head fine- the only reason I looked as pale as a zombie is because of my anxiety.

My voice trembled, "HE'S BACK!"

Edmund jumped back slightly, he had been hovering over my limp body in concern. "What-"

"Vicern is back!" I screamed, not caring who heard. In fact, good! Let everyone know that the elf King was back. "Aslan has brought him home!"

Silence ensued and I stared at everyone, reading their reactions quickly. Edmund and Peter looked startled, Lucy happy with a bright grin, Caspian confused, Duke perplexed, and Susan... Well Susan ran up to me with a red face. "This isn't funny Kay!" She hissed. I winced, never had I heard Susan so angry.

"I'm not lying-"

"I loved him," Susan held a finger at me in accusation. "Don't you dare say such impossible things! It was a dream and nothing more, I will not have you raise hopes like this-"

"Wait," Duke took a step forward and raised an eyebrow at me. Suddenly, for the very first time, I didn't see him as my friend... Instead, I saw a mature and grown man. Blimey, he really had changed from the past few days. Can't say I'm surprised though, war changes people. "You had a vision didn't you?"

I began to smile at him, but immediately stopped when his eyes narrowed slightly. Damn, he was still pissed with me. Nervous, I looked away from him and instead nodded to Susan. "I did."

Then the most strangest thing happened.

Susan turned darker red- then purple- then pale- then pure white. Her arms snapped out and before I knew it, my shoulders were being crushed my her fingers. "Are. You. Sure."

I gaped at her, "Are you even breathing?"

"Just answer me!" She screamed.

My shoulders... they'll never be the same...

"Yes! He's back! Now let go!" I pleaded, and thankfully Susan released me. But she remained sitting at my side, her eyes never leaving my face. I could tell she was searching for any signs of doubt or uncertainty, but judging by the lack of color in her face I was confident that she found none.

"How?" Caspian asked, the only brave one to speak.

"The elves have been hiding in complex tunnels in the mountains, the entrance to their home is hidden." I stood up slowly, but I was pleased to find that I was fine. No wobbly knees or headache- thank Aslan. "I followed an elf in the tunnels until I came to a large cave, nearly as big as the dining hall in Cair Paravel. IT was obvious that it was there center, because they all ate in celebration... I soon realized they were celebrating the return of Vicern."

"Is he... you know, old?" Duke asked, giving a wary look to Susan.

"No," I shook my head in disbelief. "Believe it or not he's no older than when we first met him. Since we all grew a year older, Peter and I are about the same age as Vi now. And... well, he looks healthy, happy too."

"What did you do?" Peter questioned, "Did you let him know you were there?"

Doing my best to explain, I recounted the story. Susan had grabbed onto Edmund and had pressed her head into his chest, hiding her face. But it was obvious that she was crying... Her shoulders shook, but she remained silent. Everyone else was quiet, much too quiet if you ask me. It sounded like we were in a graveyard when I finished talking. No one spoke a word, even when the Narnians all left the Howe. Somehow they had understood that we humans needed a few minutes to ourselves.

And what was even more strange was that I found myself crying too, but not from sadness- instead happiness. I couldn't help it, the realization had hit me hard as I had told the others what happened. My dear friend was ALIVE! Oh my... I don't even know what to do. I didn't know what to say to Susan. I didn't know what to think!

"We should contact them." Duke murmured softly, breaking the silence.

Edmund nodded and continued to stroke his sister's hair. "Kay, you know where they are."

I wiped away a tear, I hadn't been weeping. At the most, only three tears actually fell from my eyes. I was still too much in shock to make anymore. "But I.. I don't know the mountains. We could spend days trying to find the cave's entrance! Sure, if we came across it I would recognize it, but those mountain ranges are massive-"

"And we can't spare you," Peter said indifferently. "We need you in battle."

Duke snorted, "What is she? A weapon? A thing?"

Oh no...

Peter's hands curled into fists and annoyance flickered on his face, but after a few moments of tension he relaxed. Yes, Peter was doing his best to keep in temper in control. Ignoring Duke, he turned to Caspian, "You are a fast rider, I think you should go."

"But I need to fight-"

"Actually, you don't." Ed put in. "We need you alive no matter what, you're the next in line for the throne. If we were victorious in battle but you were slain, then it would have been for nothing. By going to the mountains you will be safe, the Telmarines will be distracted by our army."

"That... That makes sense." I bit my lip, "But the trouble with that plan is..."

Lucy crossed her arms in authority, "If Caspian finds the elves they won't believe him. How are they supposed to know that he's telling the truth? They'll think he's just another Telmarine liar, and worse, has discovered the elves are alive. They'll take him prisoner so he won't share the secret."

"Well said," Peter admitted. "Then what should we do?"

"I'll go." Susan spoke up, with hard determination. She pulled away from her brother, not caring to dab at her puffy red eyes. "I'll go with Caspian. Vicern will trust me."

Peter and Ed exchanged glances, I could just hear their telepathic thoughts... Sure enough, after a few moments they nodded and Peter spoke, "Fine. We have a plan then. You'll need to leave now if we are to have the elves' help in battle in time."

"I'll ready the horses," Caspian offered and took off.

Eyeing him, I added, "And I'll draw you a sketch of the entrance."

Without waiting for a reply, I hastily followed after Caspian. True to what he said, he went straight to the stables. I lingered in the doorway for a few seconds, doing my best to form words in my head. Coming up with nothing, I decided to wing it. Straightening up, I took a deep breath and readied myself for an awkward conversation.

"Prince Caspian?" I approached him slowly.

He didn't even look up, "Yes your highness?"

Ouch. He wouldn't even say my name.

Still, I didn't let him scare me away. Closing my eyes, I just got straight to the point. "I would like to apologize to you."

I couldn't see his reaction, obviously, but I recognized his silence to be one of surprise.

Well, that was a good sign. He wasn't sending me away or giving a sly retort in return. Grateful, I took my opportunity to just speak quickly, "I-know-that-I-overreacted-but-I'm-just-so-angry-all-the-time-and-that-doesn't-make-it-right-and-I-shouldn't-take-it-out-on-my-friends-but-nobody's-perfect-and-so-I'm-just-really-sorry-and-yeah."

"P-Pardon?"

I reddened, "Oh _please_ don't make me say it again!"

"Can you at least open your eyes?" His voice was calm and I found no trace of malice in it, so I did as he asked. I was a bit startled to see that a light smile tugged on his lips... Are all Telmarines so strange?

"I am sorry too." Caspian bowed his head slightly, "I said some ill things as well."

"Ah, but I provoked you." I pointed out. "Look, I... I just freaked out and went on the defensive when I realized you have feelings for Susan. But... She's taken, and I'm sorry, but I worked too long and hard to see the relationship break apart. For the years that I knew Susan and Vicern, it was always my goal to finally be together. And now that they have a second chance, I'm not going to see someone else ruin it. Ugh, I sound rude again don't I?" I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration, "Forgive me... I just don't know how I can say that without sounding like a brat."

"I do not have feelings for your sister," Caspian mumbled, suddenly sounding very uncomfortable. "I only find her very... attractive."

"My sister?" I tilted my head in confusion, "You know nothing of my sister."

"Your sister... Susan?" Caspian stared at me for two seconds, then grinned. "Did you not know? Most Narnians view you as a the siblings of the Kings and Queens since history has treated you as the wife of King Peter."

I whistled lowly, "That would explain the wedding ring in the portrait."

"Yes," Caspian paused. "I suggest you marry the High King officially as soon as possible."

I gaped at him.

The Prince sighed and returned to readying the horses. He worked as he spoke, not looking at me. "Duke... He understands that you and Peter are in love, but as long as there is no ring on your finger, he believes he has the right to seek your hand. Do not forget his feelings for you."

"I... I didn't ask for those feelings," I hung my head in shame. "He was my friend, even when I didn't realize it. Before Narnia, I didn't like him, not in the very least! But after my dreams and visions of my life in that world, I realized how much importance he had. And so when I went back... Well, he mistook my affection for that of the romantic kind... You call me a whore... And perhaps you are right, maybe I am. But I did not choose to be one."

"Because you have four men in love with you?" Caspian chuckled.

I crossed my arms, "Oi! That's a lie, there is not four!"

"King Vicern-"

"That doesn't count." I complained.

"Fine," Caspian agreed. "Two Kings and a Duke."

"Edmund is not in love with me." I replied softly, "We have sorted it out. The day I died was the day he began to let that go... We are the closest friends now, he is my best friend and brother. As for Peter, well, my heart belonged to him over 1300 years ago by your count. So I never gave Duke my love... For I didn't even have a heart to give."

Neither of said anything after that, I think we were both lost in our own personal reflections.

I wasn't a whore... I couldn't be, I hadn't meant for any of this to happen. I was me and valued friendship, not dramatic love webs. Ugh, why did God or Aslan or whoever was in charge have to complicate my life? Everything had been so much simpler and easier. No magic, beasts, talking animals, or any of this nonsense!

Whoa, stop.

Stop right there Kay- you can't change the past, so cut out the complaining.

"You're angry."

My head snapped up and the haze in my eyes vanished. "Sorry?"

"Your face, it's all tight." Caspian explained bluntly.

"Oh." I waved my hand casually, "I'm not angry."

"Then why that expression?"

"Just... remembering life when Narnia didn't exist." I said honestly.

Caspian raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

Then I remembered the sketch I had promised, mumbled a quick goodbye, and ran to find some parchment and ink. I sat in the middle of the great hall, just working on the sketch. There was no such thing as a number 2 pencil and eraser, so I had to crumple up the paper several times and start anew. I was hardly an artist, I could barely draw stick figures for heaven's sake! But I managed to make an outline of a boulder of a distinct shape and size, I even remembered some marks on it that would help Caspian and Susan.

Satisfied with my eighth attempt, I even added a few trees that I remembered and then gave up. With my skills (hah! what skills?) this was as good as it was going to get. Standing, I was taken aback to see Caspian and Susan enter the hall themselves. They were leading two horses and were dressed for travel- I had finished in the nick of time. Approaching them, I made sure to make eye contact with Susan and not Caspian. I was still a bit freaked out by the whole heart-to-heart we had just had. He was better friends with Duke than with me.

"Here." I held out the parchment.

Susan glanced at it and laughed- quietly. She was still very upset over the news of Vicern. "I see your art skills haven't improved."

"Leave me alone." I mumbled.

"Wow... You're crap." Duke noted, walking right past me without a pause.

I stared after him. "D-Did he just... Jeez."

Susan mounted her horse, with grace that I would never have. "We will return. Is there anything you would like me to tell... him?"

"Tell him that I think that little girl is my new best friend." Then I paused and thought, "Oh! And tell that snobby lady elf to get a tan."

She gave me a funny look.

"Uhh, he'll understand."

Giving her horse a little kick, Susan waved and disappeared through the Howe's exit. I turned expecting to find Caspian on his own horse, but nearly jumped when I saw his face coming towards mine. But I calmed down a bit when he put his mouth to my ear, "You are not a whore... Never let anyone make you think so."

And with that, he got onto his horse and rode after the Queen.


	21. Chapter 20

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**Chapter 20**

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Sorry about the delay!

_Now enjoy:_

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I found Peter talking with Ed besides the Stone Table, they were alone. They spoke in low tones and stiffened when they heard my footsteps. Looking up, they saw it was only me.

"Su and Caspian leave then?" Ed inquired.

I nodded, "What are you two whispering about?"

"Honestly?" Peter grinned, attempting to appear innocent.

I narrowed my eyes.

He laughed, "Alright, no need for that look! We're just unsure of what to do with your... erm, _friend_."

"Duke?"

"Yes," Ed nodded. "He's actually _decent_ at the bow, but we don't think he can handle real battle just yet. But Susan thinks he can... So, you can see we have a dilemma."

I blinked in surprise, "Duke has skills at medieval weapons? Wow, who knew..."

"Why are you surprised? I thought he was Captain of a sports team in your world." Noted Peter.

"True... I just never thought about him as, you know, a bloody soldier." I shook my head slightly, in shock. My friend Duke, the all American boy from high school, fighting in war? Impossible! I couldn't picture Alyssa holding a sword! It was just so... wrong. "So, what do you two want to do?"

"I think we should keep him with the archers, but in the back. That way, he can fight but won't be in the direct line of fire." Ed proposed.

"And I don't think he should fight at all," Peter stated his opinion clearly, but not arrogantly. Obviously he was willing to debate this. "I'd rather him go with Lucy when she tries to find Aslan."

"What?" I raised an eyebrow, "This is the first time I hear about this."

"Sorry," Peter put his arm around my shoulders, "You were busy when Lucy talked to me about it. She says that she saw Aslan and knows he's out there... Lu insists that he can help us and I think she's right. It's obvious he's alive, who else could have brought us all back?"

"She wants to go out _there_ and find him?"

"I know, I didn't like it either."

"Alone?"

"Apparently," Ed muttered. "So naturally we need to find someone who can protect her, but we need our best soldiers here in case the Telmarines attack."

I frowned, "So I guess that rules the three of us out and the centaurs?"

"Pretty much," agreed Peter. "We wanted Susan to go, but obviously that is out of the question now."

"And Duke is the next option... I'm impressed, he must be very good with the bow if you both trust him with such a mission. When would they leave?"

"Now," Ed looked at his elder brother, "Are we in agreement then? Duke will accompany Lucy?"

"Yes..." Peter sighed deeply and ran his hand through his hair- I smiled at this. He caught my smile and turned slightly red.

"Let's tell them the news then, we're going to need all the help we can get right?" I bit my lip, "A centaur has just informed me that the Telmarines had made camp two miles away, our gryphon scouts estimate a strong three thousand."

"Against our seven hundred? Blimey." The younger King paled slightly, "What was it Oreius told you Peter?"

"Numbers do not win a battle."

"I wish he was here."

"I wish everyone were here..." I whispered. "Did you know that they buried Mr. and Mrs. Beaver in the garden of Cair Paravel? They were honored for their help in the war, they did protect the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve."

"Trufflehunter told me that they buried Tumnus near his home to honor his freeing Lucy, despite the danger." Added Peter.

"Bless him." Edmund murmured. A lamenting silence ensued, we all silently said our thanks to our friends of the past. Our being in Narnia again was truly difficult without all their help. Everyone knew that Lucy missed Tumnus greatly, sometimes I caught her staring at fauns with a vacant expression. Once she even called out to a faun, beginning to say Tumnus' name, but she managed to stop herself in time.

Straightening, Edmund said, "I'll find Lucy and tell her to get ready."

"And I'll tell Duke," declared Peter.

"No-" I bit my lip.

Peter looked at me curiously, "Kay...?"

Ignoring my logic's protests, I said, "I'd like to tell Duke, if you don't mind."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded stiffly, not trusting my voice.

"Alright," Peter smiled weakly. "Remember our discussion."

"Be nice to people, got it." I gave him a thumbs up.

Edmund snorted.

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Duke took aim, his arm trembled slightly, but not greatly. The obvious muscular strength from water polo proved quite useful. He held this pose for a mere two seconds before firing, his eyes set on the target and oblivious to my presence. The arrow whizzed through the air, the sound of it flying buzzed in my ears. Then a solid thunk sounded when the arrow's head landed on the right half of the bulls eye. Not a center, perfect hit... But a success all the same.

"You're a natural," I spoke timidly, cautious of my words. An argument would not help our friendship- if there was one left.

Rather than jump in surprise or stiffen, Duke simply looked over his shoulder to see who had spoken. A bit insulting really, did he not recognize my voice?

"Oh, it's you."

I nodded and took a few small steps forward, "Hi."

Duke stared at me silently, I could see the wheels turning in his head. Sure enough, he asked bluntly, "What do you want?"

"To apologize." I answered, just as frank.

He gaped at me, his eye even twitched in surprise.

"Don't act so shocked! I am a human you know." I defended, crossing my arms, uncomfortable.

"Since when? In case you haven't noticed, humans can't control fire or spy on people miles away."

"A-Are you talking about the vision?"

"Whatever you call it."

I hesitated, then snapped, "You don't have to sound so disgusted."

"You're a witch, I'm merely pointing out you're not human." Duke looked away and notched another arrow, ignoring me.

Instead of speaking, I simply waited for his to shoot. However, even after taking aim and standing in position, he did nothing. Finally, after what had to be the longest forty seconds of my life, Duke growled, "I can't concentrate with you here."

"In war, there are countless distractions in battle," I told him calmly.

"I'm aware of this witch."

"Don't call me that Duke."

"I can call you whatever I want." Duke lowered his bow, "Now will you just leave?"

"Actually, I'm not the one who is about to leave."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You've been assigned to a mission of great importance..." I smiled, "Will you accept Agent 007?"

At first, I didn't believe my little joke had made any impact on the young man before him. But after a few tense seconds, I was very relieved to see the corners of his mouth twitch.

"Agent?" I repeated, waiting for a response.

"I accept, what is the mission?" Duke's tone was not friendly or amused, but there was no malice in it. An improvement- I had achieved neutrality with him.

"To ensure that a Queen finds a lion, our best hope in winning this war. You and the Queen will search for said lion in the surrounding area, it is your responsibility to protect this young lady and keep her alive. Any questions?"

"Uh, yeah." Duke put the arrow back and walked towards the target to retrieve those which he had already shot. "When do we leave?"

"Immediately."

"Hold on a second," He got the arrows and walked towards me again, but now he did not look the least bit pleased. "Are you saying that I won't be in the battle?"

I shrugged, "Duke that depends on you and Lucy. If you find Aslan in time, you'll probably get action. And if you don't, then let's just hope that there is a battle and not our slaughter."

"Slaughter?" He scoffed, "We aren't going to lose to the Telmarines. We have the advantage, we have the tunnels-"

I shook my head, "They outnumber us by at least 2,300 men Duke. Unless we receive aid from the elves and Aslan... We will lose this war."

Duke paled, "Y-You're kidding."

"Our scouts have just returned with their reports," I rubbed my temples in frustration. "Things do not look good for the Narnians... Please Duke, we need someone who can protect Lucy."

"Then why don't one of you royals go with the girl?" He challenged.

"Her name is Lucy," I retorted. "Why are you being so difficult? You want action, you want to help with this war... Well let me tell you something, by doing this you can possibly save hundreds of Narnian lives. You don't get it do you? Aslan isn't just a magical lion who talks, he's basically God here. He can bring people back from the dead, manipulate time, create life, take it, and awaken the creatures of this world. We need Aslan."

"Then why don't you or the Kings go with Lucy?" Duke still didn't look happy.

I peered at him curiously, "Haven't you heard the plan?"

"What plan?"

"The plan to buy us more time until the elves and Aslan come?"

"No."

"It was Caspian's idea actually... The Telmarines have traditions and expectations that their King must follow. Now that Miraz has taken it upon himself to take the Telmarine throne, he is subject to such laws."

Duke nodded, "Caspian did mention that once. But I don't see how this is going to work for us-"

"If Miraz is challenged to a duel, he must answer it."

It took one second of surprise for Duke to grasp this. Then a huge grin broke out on his face, and he slung his bow over his shoulder, "Brilliant. Now, take me to Lucy, we need to get moving."

I let out a sigh of relief, "You'll go then?"

"Hell yeah."

"Good," I paused. "Hey, I meant what I said."

Duke had began to walk towards the door behind me, but stopped and eyed me warily. "What?"

"I am sorry." I looked at him in hope. All I got though was a small, stiff nod in reply before Duke walked past me without a word.

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"Do you think Edmund has enough guards?" I worried, pacing the small room.

"Yes," Peter said calmly, well accustomed to me irrational questions. We both knew well enough that Edmund would be alright, he had entered the Telmarine camp in peace. Plus, he had a giant with him. "Kay, come here love."

I stopped, sighed, then walked over to the table. Peter sat on the edge, slightly crumpling the map of Aslan's Howe beneath him, but he paid no attention to this. Instead, his attention remained on me as I approached. With a wicked grin, he turned me around before pulling me into his grasp.

With my back against his chest, I let my head fall back so that it rested on his right shoulder. My eyes closed tiredly and I smiled to myself when Peter's arms wrapped around my torso.

"Relax... You are too stressed." Peter whispered so softly.

"I can't help it," I mumbled.

"You better try," Peter chuckled, "Otherwise you'll be blowing fireballs everywhere."

"Ha-ha."

"Besides, you're focusing too much on the bad stuff. You're forgetting that we've just found out that Vicern is alive. I'm surprised you're not jumping up and down for joy."

"Sorry, but the three thousand soldiers with wanna-be-Spanish accents sort of ruined that for me."

"Ah, the joys of sarcasm."

"Too bad the Narnians don't have it," I mused.

"Do you want sassy fauns?" Peter asked, sounding very amused.

I shrugged, an awkward motion considering my limited position, "Would add a bit more spice to Narnia don't you think?"

"You're odd," Peter kissed the side of my face, making me turn pink. "But I love you all the same."


	22. Chapter 21

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**Chapter 21**

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I know, it took me a while to post this. My bad everyone, but I have been incredibly busy.

Buuuut...

Congratulations to the new Mr. President!

_Now enjoy:_

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"The King returns! The King returns!"

I was the first to wake up to the shouts, but as I sat up I accidently elbowed Peter in the face. He swore violently as he awoke, his hand covering a sore nose. "Kay!" He growled, seeing it had been me to hit him.

But I didn't pay any attention, instead I jumped to my feet. "Come on! Ed's back!"

Running out of the chamber, I nearly tripped over the blankets that had covered Peter and I. Thankfully, I caught myself on the wall and proceeded to rush down the hallway. Peter followed closely, his footsteps sounding just behind mine. When I arrived, Edmund was taking off his helmet. His eyes scanned the room, clearly searching for someone. Then he saw me and judging how his eyes moved to something (or someone) behind me, he had been looking for Peter and me.

Edmund strode towards us, tucking his helmet under his arm and against his hip. Suddenly, I had to smile at him. He looked absolutely regal, powerful, and manly. Oh yes, I had no doubt that Ed would find a wonderful woman.

"So?" I asked, barely able to breathe.

He grinned, but said nothing.

Peter groaned, "Out with it man!"

"He's met the challenge." Edmund declared.

Everyone cheered, making my ears pound for several seconds. Animals roared, centaurs stomped their hooves, and the fauns clapped. The plan was successful thus far... I felt happy too, I almost started to clap myself, but stopped when I remembered...

Peter would fight Miraz.

Peter, the man I loved and had lost, might be lost to me again.

Damn, why did life have to be so complicated? Why couldn't Peter and I just head off into the sunset without a care in the world... Okay fine, that would be cheesy but hey, I'd take it.

"Hey," Peter himself was standing in front of me, peering into my face. "You alright?"

I couldn't bring myself to speak, my throat felt tight all of a sudden. So, I merely shook my head.

"You're trembling." Suddenly, his arms were holding my steady. "What's the matter? Kay? Are you having a vision?"

At that, I had to laugh, but it sounded more like a choking cry. "N-No."

"Then what's the matter?" His grip tightened.

"J-Just freaking out, give me a minute." I pleaded, pulling away. At first he resisted, but let me go when a centaur approached him. Distracted, he didn't notice me run away. I know, I'm stupid. I know, I'm a fool. But you don't know how close I was to a breakdown. Everything would be worth absolutely nothing if Peter did not live through this war. _Everything_.

No one noticed me dart through the crowd, they were all too busy cheering and looking at Peter who was raised into the air by several centaurs. Everyone looked so happy, they all believed in their High King. Did none of them realize that Peter hadn't held a sword for over a year? Did they not realize that he could die?

I left the main hall and ran, without a care, through the tunnels. They all looked the same, I really should have been paying attention. I sprinted though, nearly fall twice, but managing to catch myself in time. My hands covered my mouth as I began to cry.

Dear Aslan, why was I such a coward? The Narnians smiled and cheered because they didn't doubt Peter. And here I was, claiming my love for him... And yet I doubted. Ah, I'm such a fool.

Then I realized something else too.

Peter wasn't the only out there, risking his life. Susan, Lucy, Duke, and Caspian were all out there... Willing to give their lives for Narnia.

What was wrong with me? Why did destiny choose such a selfish person like me? I didn't deserve all this power! All I wanted was to have my happy ending, to be anywhere but here with Peter. All I needed was Peter.

I stopped, feet dragging on the dusty stone floor. "W-Why me?" I muttered, completely bitter. "Why not someone much more noble?" I backed up against the wall, feeling my shoulders shake from crying. My cheeks were stained and my nose began to run. I looked a right mess, I just looked disgusting. And it was so silly too, to have this breakdown right before battle. Right when Peter needed me the most-

Ah, see! No matter what, I always end up doing the wrong thing. Honestly, I don't understand why I had been chosen... I had been ordinary. I liked ordinary. I missed ordinary.

But the ordinary Kay would never have met Peter. She would have probably ended up going to college, marrying Duke, and having a few kids. Oh, let's not forget the home in the ultimate suburb.

No... I couldn't even imagine myself living that kind of life now. Not unless Peter was there with me.

I suddenly became aware of where exactly I had ended up. And when I did, I had to chuckle.

"Well, this is ironic."

I looked up to face the portrait painted on the stone wall. The figures of Peter and I holding hands calmed me down, and I forced myself to stand up. It was funny, really. There I was, painted like some Queen in a full gown and flattering blue eyes... And Here I stood, looking like some homeless mess with gross, puffy eyes. I used my sleeve to clean my face up a bit.

"Get with the program now Kay, there's no more time to cry." I told myself, feeling my sanity return. It felt relieving to have finally cried. I could feel the tension just leave my body- I hadn't even been aware of it before.

Back in control, I retraced my steps back to the main hall. I could have sworn that I felt the icy, blue eyes of the portrait Queen watching me the entire way.

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"Oh, there you are!" Ed swung his arm lazily around my shoulders as I entered the hall. "I was just about to go looking for you."

"Hadn't realized you saw me leave," I said, surprised.

He shrugged, "I didn't actually, my brother did though. I swear, he's telepathic or something. The instant you leave the room he just knows. Freaky if you ask me."

I didn't really know what to say to that.

Then Ed's eyes narrowed, "Have you been crying?"

"No," I raised my chin a bit higher.

"Liar," He said without missing a beat. "Want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Fine... For the moment. We'll talk later, but for right now you have a King to kiss."

I scrunched up my nose, "I'm not kissing you."

Ed rolled his eyes, "Not me you silly girl. I meant the _High_ King!"

We both laughed at that. He took the lead then, politely asking Narnians to move so we could get through. But it wasn't as crowded as it had been when I left, it seemed that most of the Narnians had left to prepare for battle. I could hear the unmistakable sharpening of swords and jingles of bustled armor all around me.

"When does the dual begin?" I asked, biting my lip.

"At sundown."

My eyes went wide, "_Today_?!"

"Afraid so," Edmund growled. "I tried to arrange it for tomorrow, but the Telmarines wouldn't have it. Miraz wanted it right away, but I coaxed a few hours out of him."

"Oh my god." I started my hyperventilate.

"Whoa! Breathe."

I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Breathe." Two voice said. Both I recognized.

"Kay... It will be fine." Peter paused to reconsider his words, "**I'll** be fine. Promise. Please, open your eyes."

Grudgingly, I did. Suddenly, I was ashamed again. "I'm sorry, I know I'm not being supportive-"

"It's okay, you're scared." Ed chuckled. "If it were you fighting, Peter and I wouldn't be able to control ourselves."

Peter nodded in agreement and threw his arms around me, "Never. Never would I let you fight."

Irritated, I scoffed, "And I'm supposed to let you go off and-"

"I'm High King. My word is law." Peter stated. He was so casual about it.

"Modest much?" His younger brother mumbled, rolling his eyes.

Silence followed for two seconds, then the three of us grinned.

"You better get some practice in mate," Edmund advised.

Peter kissed the top of my head, "How about it love? You up for some sparring?"

My cheeks burned. I could only nod meekly.

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"Pick up your left foot more," I tried to say calmly. But my voice trembled.

"I'm trying!"

I winced. "S-Sorry."

Then it was Peter's turn to wince, "No. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. I'm just..."

"Nervous?" I whispered, "Me too."

Peter lowered his sword, breathing heavily. We had been sparing for a good hour now, soon we would need to stop. He would need energy for the dual. "Of course I'm nervous, but I was just going to say frustrated."

"Why?" I pulled the chain links over my head, tired of hearing the armor. "Let's stop, I think we're done all we can. Just remember your left foot."

He nodded, sheathed his sword, and pulled off his own armor. "I know, I know. But, I'm frustrated because... because I'm rusty. What if I don't win? I'll let the Narnians down, I'll let my brother and sisters down, oh Aslan I'll let you down-"

"No."

Peter gave me a questioning look, "Pardon?"

"No." I put my Sais away. "No, you won't lose. So don't even begin to think about those possibilities."

He frowned, "You need to come to terms that I may not make it out of-"

"Ugh, stop right there!"

"Kay," Peter said softly. He put his arm around my waist, "Please. Don't rule it out... I want you to be prepared. If something happens-" At my whimper he sighed, "It's very unlikely something will, but it's possible. I just want to make sure that you'll be okay, you have Ed and the girls. I trust that you all will win this war... Even if I'm not there to help. Promise me that you won't stop until you have victory. Promise me."

"I promise," I whispered, leaning into him. I never wanted him to let go.


	23. Chapter 22

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**Chapter 22**

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Review people! I barely had any reviews for the last chapter... A bit disappointing.

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"Are you ready?" I asked, squeezing his hand with my own.

Peter glanced at me with a boyish grin, looking completely at ease, "Of course. Come on, it's time."

And it was time. Together, we walked out of the dark, cold tunnel and into the fresh, warm grass. It had been too many days since I had been able to breathe the open air. The centaurs formed two lines, one on either side of us, and they all bowed in respect.

The armor that Peter and I wore shined in the sunlight, and a huge grin lit my face up. Besides me, Peter brightened up as well. "Thank Aslan we're out of the dark place now."

"I know," I said completely in understanding. "How do you think the others are doing?"

He took a deep breath, almost looking as if he was trying to convince himself that he was confident. "I'm sure they'll all be successful. They have to be."

We fell silent as we came out onto the open field and into the view of everyone. Not only the Narnians, but the Telmarines.

"Holy... crap." My shoulders fell limp and I felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach. There were so many of them, like a sea of men armed to the teeth. Their armor was dark and intimidating, almost looking completely opposite the fiery, passionate red colors of the Narnian soldiers. It was so predictable- dark versus light. Evil versus good.

"The witch's army was larger," Peter stated. I struggled, but managed to make myself look at him rather than the sea of Telmarines. His face was hard, he had switched into battle mode clearly. I was no longer standing with English gentleman Peter Pevensie. I stood at the side of High King Peter, the Magnificent.

"Ugh, why are you so brave? I feel so unworthy right now." I muttered.

We walked so close that I could smell him as a light breeze hit us, I shuddered. A huge, uncomfortable lump formed in my throat. "Don't leave me Peter."

"Don't worry, I won't." Peter whispered, "I love you."

Edmund already stood just outside the flat stones where the fight would take place. He held Peter's sword, which I knew to be sharpened and shined just hours before, and smiled sadly at us. His face was tense, clearly I wasn't the only one worried about Peter.

Silently, Ed handed his elder brother the sword... I bit my lip, suddenly remembering that it was this very sword that had killed me. Damn it, why _that_ have to pop into my head? And at time like _this_?

Just two dozen feet away was Miraz. He was pulling on his helmet, a fierce looking thing. I couldn't help but feel intimidated.

Ed held out a gleaming helmet, and Peter put it on. He walked with his shoulders set and head held high, Peter was ready. He was focused.

I moved myself to Ed's side and we held hands, no words needed. All we could do was watch and have confidence in our High King.

Miraz and Peter circled one another for several tense moments, swords raised at the ready. Then, Miraz pounced. From behind the mask, he grunted as he swung powerfully, but too slowly. Peter easily dodged to the right, the sword hitting the stone floor loudly.

"Miraz's age slows his actions," I noted, the relief clear in my tone.

"Thank Aslan."

The clang of swords made my ears ring, I couldn't listen. I did my best to block out the noise and only focus on watching. Like a silent movie... For a few seconds it worked and my heart stopped pounding so hard, but then I let out a little scream.

Miraz had knocked Peter's helmet off, but had given Peter the perfect opportunity. Now, Miraz's leg had a fresh cut on it. But without warning, Miraz knocked Peter roughly to the ground. It was the sickening sound of a bone snapping against the stones that destroyed my silent movie.

My scream distracted Miraz for a split second, allowing Peter to roll away and trip his opponent. Edmund's hand tightened on my own- whether in worry or comfort I do not know.

Now, both Kings were on the ground. They got to their feet, breathing heavily.

"Does his highness need respite?" Miraz's voice was raspy.

"Five minutes?" Peter said cautiously.

"Three!"

They hobbled to their respective sides. As soon as Peter approached, I was running to him. "Your shoulder-"

"Lucy?" Peter asked, changing the subject.

I let my head fall slightly, "No word yet."

"Susan and Caspian?"

"I'm afraid nothing."

Edmund looked at the Narnians and cleared his throat, "Keep smiling."

Peter and I glanced at our people, only to see their nervous, uncertain expressions. In response to this, Peter held out his good arms, pointing his sword into the sky, and gave the best smile he could muster. I knew him so well to instantly recognize it was fake.

"Your shoulder." I stated, bringing attention back to it.

Edmund reached for it, touching the skin slightly. His brother gritted his teeth, "Ugh! I think it's dislocated."

I gave Edmund a hard look, he nodded in perfect understanding. Getting behind Peter, I held onto his torso, making sure he did not move. Peter knew what was about to happen, so he began to speak, "What do you think happens back home, if we die here? You know, you've always been there and I never really- OW!"

Ed had snapped the shoulder back into place, he gave Peter a smile, "Just save it for later."

Letting go, very reluctantly, I looked over to the ground besides me. The familiar helmet lay there. Bending over, I picked it up and offered it to Peter. He shook his head, "I see better without it."

What could I do? Force him to wear it? Silently, I merely nodded and stepped back outside of the arena. Looking across the space, I noticed that Miraz had returned with no helmet as well.

And before I could even blink, the fight resumed. It continued for a few moments, each parry making me want to just run and stop it all. I wanted to end it, just finish Miraz and save this land. My land.

Peter swung, Miraz blocked. Miraz kicked, Peter jumped. Every second was agonizing. I wanted to close my eyes, but they wouldn't listen to me. My brain forced me to watch, even though my heart screamed for mercy.

Then, Miraz managed to knock Peter's shield away. My eyes shut immediately. Not even my brain could handle seeing Peter die.


	24. Chapter 23

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**Chapter 23**

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Dear Readers,

Review or face my wrath!

Love,

Mandagal12

_Now enjoy:_

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"Peter!" My eyes shut tighter, hurting almost. My heart clenched, preparing for the worst break to yet... And I doubted that I could survive this time. What was the point of reuniting with Peter? Had Aslan turned so cruel? Did he enjoy watching us fall in love once more only to die in agony?

"PETER!" I screamed again, refusing to look. I just kept saying his name in my head... Peter. Peter... My darling Peter...

The sound of grunts and metal clashing continued.

Wait, Peter was still fighting. He was still alive!

Immediately, my eyes opened and gasped. Peter was back on his feet and even though he did not have his shield, he was winning. Slowly, he kept pushing Miraz back towards the stunned Telmarine captains. Peter the Magnificent indeed!

"The power of love," Edmund chuckled, not taking his eyes off the battle.

I didn't either, but I frowned, "What?"

"I thought he was a goner," Ed winced when Miraz managed to hit Peter in the ribs with a fist, "But as soon as you said his name he just... energized."

"Really?"

"Yes."

I grinned, "GO PETER!" I raised my hand up in the air and cheered, "SHOW THAT OLD MAN!"

Sure enough, Peter's movements quickened and the force behind each swing increased. Twice Peter pushed Miraz back, making the Telmarine king furious. His dark brow tightened and a sneer came on his face.

"Shut your whore up!" Miraz growled, swinging powerfully.

Three things happened instantly.

A great wall of fire jumped up around the perimeter of the fight courtyard, heating the air dangerously and making the grass sizzle.

Edmund drew his sword and shouted, "YOU BASTARD!"

And Peter's body tensed, then dropped to the floor as the blade of the enemy cut through the air only centimeters above. His right leg kicked out and blade ripped through the skin of Miraz's right own right knee.

Miraz fell, crying out in pain and Peter took his chance. He got up quickly, then pressed the edge of his blade against the tender skin of the Telmarine king.

"R-Respite," Miraz whispered. His voice was coarse and heavy. Then he repeated, "R-Respite!"

The longest second passed. Peter did nothing- he hesitated.

Then Edmund warned, "Now is **not** the time for chivalry Peter!"

"Peter..." I whispered, "End it."

But he did not. Instead, he threw everything we had worked for away. Peter's kindness crept into his heart, even though he was in battle mode. His eyes flickered to the Narnians, who all watched anxiously. Something from that sight convinced him... Convinced him to simply walk away.

No...

He couldn't just walk away...

Then, it all changed. Miraz leapt up from behind Peter, lifting his arm to stab my King in the back.

"LOOK OUT!" Edmund shouted.

"PETER!" I screamed at the same time.

Just before the blade could pierce Peter's skin, he dodged and spun around. Then, he twisted the sword out of Miraz's grip and before anyone could blink, stabbed. A great measure of blade disappeared into the man's flesh. Peter took a few steps back, his hand still lifted, but now empty.

Miraz fell to his knees and looked up with a smirk, his face was now pale and sickly. "What's the matter boy? Too cowardly to take a life?"

"It's not mine to take."

"Caspian." Miraz scoffed, "Where is that boy? Too afraid to show his face in battle?"

I snorted.

Unfortunately, that made everyone look at straight at me. Including Peter and Miraz.

"Uhhh..." I shifted from one foot to the other, uncomfortable with the thousands of eyes that watched me.

Edmund rolled his eyes, then turned back to Peter. "Finish it."

The older king nodded, "Do you surrender your claim to the throne and the lands under Telmarine reign?"

Miraz laughed, it sounded like a cackle. "I am not a fool. You will not kill me, so why would I ever even consider surrendering-"

"Because you're on your knees bleeding," I called out.

"Be quiet whore."

Peter kicked Miraz without warning. "Shut it, old man." Then he looked at the Telmarine generals. Surprisingly, they didn't appear too upset over the fact that their King was dying on the ground. "You may take this coward back, but victory belongs to me. Therefore, all land, freedom, and authority returns to the Narnians!"

At that, the army of red and gold burst into cheers. The ground rumbled and trembled with their shouts of joys and jumping up and down in happiness.

A captain approached warily to his fallen King, while Peter backed away. He started to walk towards us. I felt my cheeks go warm when I realized something: Peter only had eyes for me.

A great, charming smile came onto his face. Suddenly, he no longer looked like an intimidating, powerful king. Instead, the loving and king Peter opened his arms to me.

I laughed, tears coming to my eyes. "Freedom!" I shouted blissfully.

Peter's arms just about wrapped around my waist when the Captain exclaimed, "TREACHERY! She's shot him! The witch murdered our king!"

Peter and I froze and looked towards the Telmarines.

"N-No!" I gaped, in complete shock.

Miraz lay dead, a pool of blood forming around his limp body. His face was out of view, Miraz had fallen dead on his stomach. In his back was a Narnian arrow, it looked like one of Susan's arrows.

"The witch has used her magic to kill the king!" The Telmarines jumped onto their horses and retreated back to their troops. "PREPARE FOR BATTLE!"

I stood frozen. "N-No, they lost... They can't just..."

Peter, as always, reacted perfectly. "Be ready!" He grabbed my hand and dragged me back towards our own army. "We fight!"

Unlike me, Edmund also reacted. He grabbed Peter's fallen things and ran after us, "Peter... What about the others?!"

"We have to fight without them," His older brother answered. "Kay! Come on, snap out of it."

I nodded, "A-Alright."

"I knew they wouldn't keep their word." Ed hissed, "Killed their own king. Bloody hell."

"BATTLE STATIONS!" Peter bellowed, taking his helmet from Ed. Then, he gave it a second thought and tossed it to the ground without a care. He only took his shield and sword back. In the process he let go of my hand. We all ran into formation, as did the Narnian soldiers. Edmund went to the right regiment while Peter and I went to the left. The original plan had been for Caspian to join Edmund while Susan led the archers.

Pft. So much for that.

"My Lady! Watch out!" A faun grabbed my arm and pulled, we fell to the ground roughly. But strangely, the ground beneath us shook dangerously.

"What the fuc-" I looked over my shoulder and nearly threw up. Where I had stood only seconds ago a huge boulder stood.

Jumping up to my feet, I looked across the meadow. "Catapults? Are they stupid?"

"My lady?" The faun had gotten up as well. I glanced at him and nodded, "I owe you my life."

He colored, flattered, but said nothing.

I walked around the boulder and came to Peter's side, "Your orders sire?"

"Take out the catapults." Peter ordered, his voice devoid of any emotion. My love had gone, only an experienced soldier remained.

"As you command," I replied dutifully. I pulled my wand from my waist and ran towards the Telmarines. The closer, the better. Just as I began to charge, so did the first wave of Telmarines. Only, they were on horseback while I remained on foot.

Still, I was the faster one.

"One..." Peter began to count from behind me. He began the countdown that the centaurs would be doing as well beneath ground. At ten, they would collapse the tunnels and trap the horses. Then, the archers would release their hundreds of arrows.

"Two..."

I tuned him out and focused only on my mission. Boulders flew through the air, one started to fall in the sky. My mind quickly calculated, it would fall directly in front of me. "Get out of my way!" I snapped and lifted my wand. I moved my arm in the motion of throwing a spear, only I did not let go of my wand. An enormous fireball shot out of my wand, flying to meet the boulder.

They collided a dozen feet above my head and the boulder burst into harmless pebbles. I didn't even get hit by them, I was already running ahead of the spray of rock. A Telmarine threw his spear at me, I easily dodged it. It whizzed through the wind, I could hear it pass my ear by a few inches.

"Idiot." I mumbled, just as I entered the maze of charging horses. The Telmarines all let out noises of surprise, clearly expecting me to have fought. Instead, I merely ran through them, paying them no attention. The archers would deal with these men for me.

I came out on the other side of the wave of Telmarines unscathed. Now, I found myself sprinting through the empty meadow between the first wave and the majority of the Telmarines. A few archers shot some arrows at me, but by the time the arrows approached, I was already dozens of feet closer to the Telmarines.

Did they not know the legends?

Clearly, I was not a normal human. I had the speed of a hundred men.

Obviously, they didn't know that because before they could even blink, I was standing besides one of their catapults. "Damn Spanish wannabes!" I shouted, spinning my wand above my head.

A fiery tornado engulfed the catapult, sending the Telmarine operators screaming away, their clothes on fire. The dozens of soldiers stationed besides the burning catapult all broke formation as they scrambled away from the inferno, fearing for their lives.

I watched in pleasure as the catapult collapsed, the wooden structure stood no chance to my magic.

"KILL HER!" Someone shouted.

Well, no time to lose. Before the soldiers even could surround me, I took off. My body ran so quickly that I seemed to disappear from thin air, I could hear their surprised gasps. I weaved through the bodies of men, easy at first, but then I frowned.

They began to march.

This made moving through them more difficult, but I managed. I arrived at the second catapult, my wand already spinning and tornado formed. I ran past it, only stopping for the one second it took to direct the tornado of flames around the wood. Then, I continued onto the next catapult.

They had caught on though. A guard of 30 Telmarines already stood around the third catapult, they looked around nervously, unsure of which direction I would attack from.

Too bad they didn't think of the air.

I jumped off the ground with inhuman strength, the ground cracked beneath the force and I flew through the air. My wand twirled, the flames burned the oxygen around me, but I didn't care. A few seconds without air wouldn't kill me.

"Above!" A soldier bellowed.

"Too late!" I shouted, landing on the catapult. The flames ate up the wood quickly. Too quickly. Caught off guard, I went tumbling to the ground as the wood beneath my feet collapsed. "UGH!" I fell onto the back of a Telmarine soldier, he groaned as his body hit the grass and broke my fall.

I rolled off him and patted him on the back, "Thanks buddy."

A Telmarine soldier swung his sword and I rolled again, barely missing the shining, sharp metal. "Oi! Wait till I'm standing!" I got to my feet, my wand pointed at the soldier.

He tensed, waiting for the flames to come flying out. After a moment though, he cackled, "Out of fire, witch?"

"Nope." I responded and shrugged. "I'd jump into the river if you want to live."

Before he could say anything, the man began to scream. His metal armor turned from a cool silver to a sizzling red, burning him alive. He shrieked in pain, dropping his sword and went running towards the direction of the river.

I winced. That had to hurt. Another soldier swung at me, but I didn't stop to fight. Before his sword could slice me in half, I vanished from sight. Running, I made my way to the fourth catapult. Only three more to go.

This time, the Telmarines were actually smart. They had already abandoned the catapult, knowing that if they stayed and fought, they'd be burnt to a crisp. Without anyone to stp me, I jumped onto the catapult.

"BACK TO THE HOW!"

My wand froze in mid-twirl. I snapped to attention and gazed across the field. No... The Narnians were retreating to the how and I knew why. They were already losing, too many Telmarines had survived the tunnel collapse.

Then, to my horror, one of the remaining catapults sent a boulder that ruined everything. The boulder flew strong and true, hitting its mark dead on. The entrance to the tunnels crumbled, rocks crushing the poor Narnians who were just about inside.

It was my fault.

I had been taking too long.

If I had destroyed all the catapults in time- the Narnians could have escaped to the tunnels.

"WHERE ARE YOU VICERN?" I shouted in the air, tears filling my eyes. Without meaning to, I set the catapult on fire in my fierce emotion. The flames started on one leg, then they began to travel. I didn't care, I only scanned the trees.

If the elves didn't show up... We would lose everything.

An arrow embedded itself into the wood not two inches above my head.

Oh crap. I forgot, I'm in the middle of the Telmarine army... In the middle of a collapsing catapult. Another arrow flew towards me, I had to jump to avoid it.

"Kill her!"

"Burn witch!"

"Die traitor!"

"SHUT UP!" I roared, leaping off the catapult. I landed on the floor well enough, stumbling slightly but not falling. I wouldn't waste any more time, I needed to get to the next cata-

I hissed in pain when a sword sliced through my left upper arm. The blade had not cut deep, but it still hurt. A lot.

No, I didn't have time! I needed to burn down the other...

I barely had time to duck when a second sword attempted to behead me. I was surrounded by a number of Telmarines. Quickly, I shot a fireball at several, making them jump back in alarm.

The others were momentarily distracted, and I crawled through the legs of one man. On the other side, I scrambled to my feet.

Then, a large man tackled me to the ground.

My face slammed into the grass below, and although soft, my nose could not handle the impact. Incredible pain shot up my face, blinding me for several moments. I groaned and tried to breath, then began to choke.

Instead of inhaling air, I only inhaled thick blood.

A hand grabbed my braid and neck, I found myself lifted from the ground and into the air. My wand fell from my hand.

"C-Can't breathe..."

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	25. Chapter 24

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**Chapter 24**

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Right, I've written outlines for the rest of the story. There are still some specifics that I'm working out, but the general endings and events are certain! I'm very excited to see how you all like out the twists!

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The man turned me so that I faced him. My neck and head burned, he pulled much too hard. With his free hand, he tugged off his helmet.

He was an ugly man, with two chins and a thick black mustache. His age was probably close to that of my father, but his heart was nowhere as pure. This man's eyes glowed with evil and lust. I whimpered.

"Some witch you are," the Telmarine smirked. "And to think, witches were supposed to be old, ugly hags."

My head pounded and my vision blurred. Shapes turned into colorless blobs... "A-Air," I pleaded. What the hell was the point of having enhanced strength when I couldn't even kick one man's butt? Ugh, I couldn't even see, I needed oxygen to think clearly.

I might not have been able to see him, but I could still hear him. He was laughing deeply, "What a shame... Such a pretty face, but now so blue and purple."

Black spots began to appear everywhere, covering up reality. They were growing bigger and bigger- thicker and thicker- darker and darker-

"HANDS OFF!" Someone shouted. The voice sounded male, very deep but also very angry. I couldn't see... I couldn't breathe...

Then, air flowed into my body. The large, rough hands left my neck and my body fell to the ground. The grass broke my fall and I gasped loudly, clutching my freed neck. My fingertips brushed the skin and I winced, I would have bruises no doubt. I continued to wheeze, breathing as much as I could in those few seconds and blinked furiously. Slowly, ever so slowly, the black sports began to fade away. But too slow, because next thing I knew, a foot collided with my side.

I groaned, but it sounded more like a dying animal's cry. I was still having difficulty breathing, I couldn't handle an attack right now! Still unable to see clearly, I rolled over to my right, away from the attacker. But still, he kicked and I gritted my teeth, arms reaching around.

Aha. I found my Sais.

My hands gripped around the handles and I turned around, swinging blindly. As my eyes finally cleared from the black dots, I watched the fuzzy form of a Telmarine fall to the ground, a bit of red staining the grass in front of my face.

Breathing was nearly back to normal and my sight was alright again. I couldn't wait any longer to recover, I made myself get up.

Then I remembered the bastard who had nearly strangled me to death. Spinning around I raised my Sais to attack, but then froze. Someone was already fighting the man, my rescuer to be exact.

"Vicern..." I whispered, never happier to see my friend. His face's muscles were tight and concentrated, eyes focused on his opponent, and footwork absolutely perfect. The tunic he wore was not brand new, I could tell that right away. Obviously he had been traveling because the cloth was terribly wrinkled and dirty. But still, Vicern was so hot that he could have been wearing rags and I still would find him attractive. His long black hair was in a ponytail like always, shining in the bright sunshine. His muscles still pushed against the fabric, making their shape clear and obvious.

But as Vicern and the man changed position, Vicern's face came into view. And I was caught off guard for a moment.

On Vi's right cheek was a thin, but large, scar. It was horizontal and extended from the corner of his mouth all the way to his right ear. Where in the world did get that...

Oh, I remember now!

_He turned and I bit my lip. Vicern's face was covered in blood, dripping from a wide cut across his right cheek. I rushed forward and wiped the blood away. "Who did this to you?"_

_Vicern lowered his head, "Susan."_

She had fought him while still under... under that horrible woman's potion. I couldn't even think of that traitor's name!

Oh my god.

I wasn't alone! I wasn't the only one who had to suffer a daily reminder of that horrible day... I wasn't the only one left mutilated. While I had worse scars, they were thankfully hidden by clothing. But poor, poor Vi had a scar right on his face. That was terrible! I couldn't even image!

Every time he looked into a mirror... into a pond...

Every time he saw his reflection...

And Susan, oh dear Aslan. How did she feel each time she looked at the man she loved?

I shuddered.

"Oi! Don't just stand there lazy human," Vicern snapped. "I could use some help here!"

My head snapped up and I was surprised to find the large Telmarine dead on the ground and a grinning Vicern standing. Then I glanced around, we were being surrounded. Immediately, I ran up to Vicern and we stood back to back.

"Just like the old days," He chuckled.

I laughed, "Nice to see you alive and well."

"Same about you," Vicern replied happily. "So, how did you enjoy dying?"

"Meh, it wasn't too bad. You?"

"Rather boring actually. I died in my sleep."

I rolled my eyes, "What a wimpy way to go."

"Don't you roll your eyes at me!" He complained.

I laughed and pressed my back harder into his, "You can't even see my face!"

"I could tell by your tone," Vi sniffed. "It may have been more than 100 years for me, but I still know you darling."

"Oh yeah?" I scoffed, "Then you should well that I'm about to out do you in battle again."

"I've had a _lot _of time to practice."

And, he actually proved himself right. It was incredible, although I was the stronger and faster one, Vicern cut down more Telmarines than I did. We worked together flawlessly, always covering each other from behind angles, always warning each other when a stray arrow flew our way. It was like our separation had never occurred. It seemed as if just yesterday he and I were side by side in the Battle of Beruna, defeating the army of Jadis.

So strange because to me that had been well over 3 years ago.

So strange because to him that had been well over 73 years ago.

So strange because to Narnia that had been well over 1300 years ago.

Wow, talk about odd.

While we kicked the butts of dozens of Telmarines, I chanced a glance back across the field. To my amazement, the entire Elvin army had arrived. They fought courageously, I could see the Telmarines slowly being pushed back. Now, the numbers were even.

"Tired?" Vi breathed heavily as we stood back to back again, waiting for a new wave of Telmarines to attack. They were frightened by us. Then again, they had never seen a blond and blue-eyed female warrior or elf. I didn't blame them for their hesitation, especially since we had just taken down an entire company of soldiers by ourselves.

"I'm not the one panting," I pointed out.

"Well forgive me," Vicern said sarcastically, "But not all of us are gifted with enhanced strength."

"And not all of us are blessed with pointy ears and _permanent_ enhanced strength!"

"True- WHOA!" Vicern let out a cry.

"What?" I asked, beginning to turn to look at him.

"The trees!"

My eyes flew across the field and I felt my jaw drop. Honestly, it simply fell open from sheer shock. The trees were moving!

"They did it!" I jumped up and down, cheering. "DUKE AND LUCY DID IT!"

"Who is Duke?"

"THE MOST AMAZING, BRAVE, AWESOME GUY EVER!" I shouted, so incredibly happy.

"We're in the middle of battle and you're raving about a man who is not your love... I worry about your sanity sometimes." Vicern launched forward, we had some new opponents.

I leapt into a jump, my Sais crossed over my head ready, "Thanks a lot Vi."

A few seconds later...

We were standing back to back again, already finished with the Telmarines. Vicern laughed.

"What?" I asked, knowing he was laughing _at me._

"You still run like a girl."

"Uhh, I _am_ a girl," I said stupidly. "Or has Your Elfiness forgotten that?"

"Had me fooled," Vi paused. "And its actually 'Your highness' now, I did marry into the title."

"Took you long enough! Bloody hell, you didn't propose for **YEARS**!"

"Oh, hush up."

I winked, "I've missed you too darling."

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"BACK TO THE RIVER!"

The few, brave (but stupid) Telmarines who were attempting to get the best of a now tired Vicern and I immediately heeded the order. They abandoned our fight, simply backing away and running off with the rest of their army.

Vicern and I looked at one another.

"Are they-"

"Just running away?" He scoffed, "I believe so."

I shook my head, "Cowards."

"Well," Vi pointed behind me, "We are winning."

I glanced over my shoulder and sure enough, the Narnians were giving chase to the fleeing Telmarines. Vicern and I didn't even pay any attention to the fact that hundreds of Telmarines were passing right by us, some even bumped shoulders with me. Funny, they were so concerned with running away they weren't even concerned with two enemy soldiers, both of royal title, standing in the middle of their army.

Pft.

War was so weird.

"So..." I bit my lip, "Is that it? We're finished here?"

Vi smirked, "Tired already?"

I crossed my arms stubbornly, "Yes. But so are you!"

"I can handle it."

"And I can't?"

"Your face is red and sweaty." Vi sniffed, "And you smell like blood."

"I hate you."

"Ah, it's good to be back."

"I'll tell the elves about your embarrassing childhood stories." My face brightened when his face darkened.

"You. Would. Not. Dare."

I gave him my best angelic expression.

He sighed, "What do you want?"

Sincerely, I answered, "No idea. I haven't had much time to think about what to blackmail you for. I'll let you know when I come up with something though."

Before Vicern could reply, the sound of an approaching horse interrupted. We turned and inclined our heads respectfully to Peter, he rode a centaur. But as they came up to us, Peter easily slid off and joined us on foot.

"What are you two just standing here?"

"I'm blackmailing him," I motioned at Vicern.

The elf nodded, "She is indeed."

Peter gaped at us in disbelief for several seconds, then slapped his forehead with his spare hand, his other held his sword. "You two have just been reunited and already your childish antics have begun."

"Nu-uh!" I protested.

"Not true!" Vicern argued.

Peter shook his head, "Unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable. Anyways, we don't have time for this right now, we need to chase after the Telmarines before they cross the river. We'll lose advantage."

I saluted, "Meet you there."

Vicern bowed slightly, "What she said."

"Try to keep up Vi," I warned.

He rolled his eyes and took off. I giggled and ran as well, we left the very human Peter behind in seconds. We flew through the trees that separated the field from the forest. A few straggling Telmarines remained in the forestry, but they did not even notice us pass them by. We moved too quickly for that, Vicern had certainly gotten faster. He was right... 70 years of growing had done him well.

Eww, Susan was in love with a grandpa.

Wait.

I was in love with a middle-aged man then, Peter had grown up too.

Seriously, _eww._

"WHOA!" I had to bounce off a tree to stop myself from crashing into a huge crowd of Telmarines. I had reached the river before Vicern, but soon I could sense him behind me. He swore and couldn't brake in time. Vi went flying through the air, but I jumped up and yanked him down to the ground.

He groaned at the impact, his body landed with a loud 'thud'.

And of course, the Telmarines heard and turned around. They all drew their swords, clearly not expecting the Narnians to arrive so quickly.

But I was confused, why in the world were they all simply standing there? Grabbing onto Vicern, I jumped up into the branches of the tree. Then, we both saw what had stopped the Telmarine army dead in their tracks.

Three figures stood on the other side of the bridge.

A great lion who made me smile just at the sight of him. Aslan.

A small, thin young girl who held an equally small dagger. Lucy.

But it was the third who really made me grin. Letting go of Vicern, who found his own balance on the branch, I said, "And _that_ is Duke."


	26. Chapter 25

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**Chapter 25**

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Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

I don't like Turkey.

Sigh. So I had ham instead.

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_Now enjoy:_

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"Narnians!" A Telmarine hissed, alarming the men around him. They all tensed, holding their weapons at the ready, but they made no attack. Most glanced around nervously, and then I realized that they were waiting for an order. Obviously they didn't want to attack unless forced... I mean, c'mon, they weren't that stupid.

I withdrew my Sais anyways, "Don't even think about soldiers."

Vicern held his own sword out, "The battle is over anyways, you're surrounded."

A second Telmarine scoffed and in a heavy accent replied, "By what? A child, one man, and a cat?"

I winced, "Oh man, don't let Aslan hear you say that."

Vicern nodded, "He'll have you for lunch. Don't worry, we won't tell though."

"Enough," The man looked at his fellow soldiers for support, "Let's kill them!"

"You try," Another Telmarine said, sounding frightened. "They killed the fourth company in less than three minutes."

Before our conversation could continue, we all looked towards the bridge at the sound of a shout.

"CHARGE!" The traitorous Telmarine captain yelled, pressing his horse on. Immediately, the horse ran forward with Telmarines following on foot.

My heart clenched, "Lucy run-" But then all fear evaporated when Aslan let out a fierce and terrifying roar. Goosebumps rose on my skin and I held my breath, frightened. What had Aslan done? He didn't simply roar for nothing, Aslan always had a purpose. _Always._

Vicern gasped, "Look at the river!"

I wasn't the only one who looked, the Telmarines around us also stared out in the direction. Then, I couldn't help it, my mouth turned into an arrogant smirk. I had been correct- Aslan had indeed done something. And that something would put an end to this ridiculous war.

The water upriver swelled, strange waves began. After several seconds, a great wall of water suddenly flew towards the bridge... "Holy** crap.**" I gaped as a River God formed, looking similar to an elderly man. His hair was long and beard distinct, I had to giggle a bit. But my giggling ended when the River God reached the bridge. Horses neighed in terror, men screamed, and most got out of the way in time. But some did not, including the Captain. He remained on his horse, staring up in bewilderment at the massive, Narnian magic. Easily, the River God lifted the bridge, bringing the Captain up to eye level.

"Now that has got to be awkward eye contact," Vicern mumbled.

I could only nod stupidly.

The Telmarine Captain let out a scream, but it didn't last long. The River God had tired of the human because he fell down onto the bridge, his form disappearing back into normal water, taking the unlucky men still on the bridge with him.

The Telmarines around us all fell silent, then all stared up at us uneasily.

"Drop your weapons and you are free to keep your lives," Vicern announced very happily.

I didn't really have anything smart to add, so I simply watched in content as the Telmarines did not even hesitate. Swords and shields clattered to the rocky ground, some men even fell to their knee, looking quite worried.

"KAY!" A familiar voice shouted.

I glanced at Vicern, "I think you've got this handled. You mind?"

He rolled his eyes, "No, go on and kiss your man senseless."

"Ha-Ha," I replied dryly. But with an amused smile, I put my Sais away and skipped away, towards the trees. Sure enough, there stood a sweaty and flushed Peter. His sword was out and body rigid, he glared at the Telmarines, "Why have they surrendered?"

I shrugged, "I dunno. Maybe it something to do with the fact that Aslan just totally summoned the River God.... Or maybe it has to do with the fact that the River God just completely took out the bridge and drowned their Captain. But hey, what do I know right?"

Peter stared at me, his face completely shocked. Then, after a few moments, he shook his head and put his sword into its sheath. "If anyone else had told me that, I would have called them insane. But you? Oh no."

I frowned, "Thank you?"

He sighed, "That wasn't exactly a compliment."

Then I really frowned, "Oh."

"Vicern is already reversing your maturity, you two are going to drive the rest of us insane!" Peter growled, but came towards me anyways. His arms wrapped around my waist, "I'm glad to see you unharmed."

"Well not completely unharmed," I admitted. "A Telmarine managed to catch me off guard and nearly strangled me to death but-"

"WHAT?"

"-luckily his Elfiness," I paused, "Well, I guess I should say his highness now... He _did _actually marry into the title. Anyways, Vicern saved me and then we kicked butt. End of story."

Peter had held me out at arms length and was inspecting my neck. Then, something in his expression changed.

I gulped and tried to back away, "Um..."

"**Is**."

"I think I hear Ed calling me..." My feet took a few steps backwards.

"**The.**"

"Uh..." I pulled away from his grasp.

"**Bastard.**"

"Peter..." I warned.

"**Alive?**"

His face was dark now, a strange sort of madness had overtaken his expression. An angry gleam sparked in his eyes, nothing about Peter looked very attractive now. Instead of seeing a kind king, I saw a murderous soldier. My feet ran out of space to walk on, because I had now backed right into a tree.

"Peter," I laughed uneasily, "The man is dead. Vicern took care of him."

"He hurt you!" Peter hands went back to his sword.

"The battle is over, no wait, scratch that. The _war_ is over Peter," I held up my hands in peace. "Come on, Aslan is probably waiting for us, he's just on the other side of the river with Duke and Lucy."

At the mention of Aslan, Peter's hands fell away from the sword. At the mention of his sister's name, the anger died away, only to be replaced by concern. "Lu? Is she alright?"

"Yeah," I said slowly, "She's fine. Duke protected her."

Peter inspected my face and he must have seen something he didn't like because he groaned, "Sorry... I lost my control didn't I?"

"Just a little," I admitted. "I haven't seen you that angry since... Well, I dunno. Since the last time we were here in Narnia."

Peter ran his hand through his hair and then made a face, "Ugh, I need a bath."

"I could have told you that," I teased and held out my hand for him to take, "I think we're all going to need baths after this. Oi! Not that hand, you just touched your hair with it!"

Giving me a fake look of irritation, Peter wove his fingers through my own. We both smiled and walked towards the river. Vicern had already taken control, setting up a system for the Narnians to take the weapons from the Telmarines. Telmarines lined up, dropping their weapons into a set pile, while armed Narnians watched and guarded.

Vicern winked as we passed him, "Did you kiss him senseless?"

My cheeks burned and I made sure to avoid Peter's face, "Shut it or else I'll tell the elves your lovely... _ahem_, stories."

That certainly shut Vicern up.

But Peter was already interested, his hand squeezed mine and I heard him laugh. "Do I want to know?"

"No!" I cried.

Peter laughed easily again, "Alright, I'll pretend I never heard."

"Thank you," I mumbled but still, my cheeks were bright red in embarrassment. We reached the edge of the river and watched as several other Narnians were already crossing through the cool water. Edmund and Susan were already on the other side, both speaking with Duke and Lucy.

Looking out, it seemed as if Duke could sense my watching. Suddenly, his head snapped up and our eyes met. Then, I could swear that his eyes darted down to my hand in Peter's, but I couldn't be sure. All I knew was that Duke actually grinned and waved at me.

"HEY KAYLA!" He shouted.

I lifted my free hand and waved back, sincerely laughing. "HEY!"

"HE'S REAL!" Duke pointed at Aslan, who stood several feet away, talking with a centaur.

I rolled my eyes.

"Do you want me to carry you?" Peter asked kindly.

"If I can handle battle I'm pretty sure I can handle crossing a river. It's not even waist deep now, the River God took much of the water downstream." I pointed out.

"Alright, alright. No need to bite my head off!"

We made our way across the river, it wasn't as bad as I expected. Sure, the water was cold, but not more than the pool back at high school. It was a sunny day in Narnia, the sun had warmed the water easily. Only the very bottom of my tunic got wet, but my boots and leggings were completely drenched.

By the time I reached the other side, I was seriously considering WHY I had turned Peter's offer down.

Lucy ran towards us and into the arms of her oldest brother, "Peter! Oh, you're alright!"

He grinned, "Me? Do you know how worried I was about you?"

I waved him off and marched over to Duke, "Are you kidding? Lu has this macho machine looking after her!" Everyone laughed and I hugged Duke, who to my surprise, picked me up and spun me around.

"You're in a good mood," Duke noted, finally putting me down. But he kept his arms around my shoulders, leaning slightly on me. "I didn't think after battle you'd be so cheerful."

"Well... when you go into battle with a witty, funny elf you can't help but smile."

"You forgot handsome, intelligent, daring, dashing, and charming!" Vicern called out, walking out of the river himself. Seems like he had followed after us, leaving the Narnian soldiers to continue watching over the Telmarines. He joined the group, standing besides Susan, putting his arm around her waist and giving her a quick kiss. I cooed, earning an eye roll from Edmund.

"You have no idea how long I've waited to see you two together!" I whined, then glared at Vi. "It took you freaking _years_, you coward!"

Duke let me go and stepped towards the elf, "You must be Vicern. Kayla never shut up about you."

Vi raised an eyebrow at the extended hand, and then peeked over Duke's shoulder at me, "Is this the 'amazing' Duke you spoke of?"

I couldn't even answer because Duke answered for me, "Yeah, that would be me. From what I hear, I think you might even stand a chance at being as 'amazing' as me."

Vicern's face brightened and he shook Duke's hand, "I think you and I are going to get along just fine."

"No exchanging humiliating stories about me," I warned. "I can blackmail you both!"

"Oh yeah?" Duke sniggered.

"Don't underestimate her," Vicern whispered, shivering.

Edmund suddenly cleared his throat, "I think Aslan wants a word with us all."

We all fell silent and walked towards the great lion. None of spoke, we didn't need to, we all knew what to do. Together, as if we had practiced, we all got to our knees and bowed our heads. I kneeled between Peter and Susan, sneaking a peek at Duke. He was at the end of the line, besides Lucy, and he was looking very proud to be included in this audience.

"Rise Kings and Queens of Narnia." Aslan's voice was just as deep as I remembered. Like always, it seemed to fuel the flame within my chest, because warmth shot through my limbs. I smiled, glad to hear his voice again.

Peter, Susan, Vicern, Edmund, and Lucy all stood up. Caspian and Duke remained kneeling like me, we waited for our turn to rise.

"All of you."

My head snapped up, my eyes wide in surprise. Sure enough, Aslan was looking at me and Caspian, a sort of smile on his furry face.

"M-Me?" I stuttered, sounding like an idiot.

"Yes, the High Queen of Narnia should rise." Aslan chuckled, his large form trembling slightly from mirth.

I gaped.

"Kay!" Ed hissed, "Stand up!"

Nearly falling on my face, I clumsily got to my feet. My eyes were still wide as I looked at Peter, he looked surprised too, but not shocked. I guess he already viewed me as 'High Queen'. Odd.

"All of you," Aslan repeated, this time looking at Caspian.

"I do not think I am ready." Caspian said after a long pause, his eyes never leaving the ground. I looked at him, taken aback. All this time I had thought he carried an arrogance, but obviously I was wrong... Well, having your life threatened does make you grow up. Pft, I know that better than most.

"It's for that very reason that I know you are."

At that, Caspian rose as well. We made eye contact and both, slowly and with hesitation, smiled. Us, here both smiling at one another... It made it clear that our friendship would be okay. All hard feelings gone. But then, my eyes went past the new King of Narnia... landing on the last person who remained on his knees.

Duke was trying to look calm, but I could tell he was nervous. He was nervous, confused, and uncertain. I bit my lip then looked at Aslan, ready to speak out and request that Duke stand-

"Duke Keelings rise," Aslan said pleasantly. "Not as a soldier, but as a Prince of Narnia."

I burst into a applause, jumping up and down. "Incredible, absolutely incredible."


	27. Chapter 26

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**Chapter 26**

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Ugh, I ate too much ice-cream.

My tummy hurts.

Warning: Don't ever eat ice-cream for dinner.

_Now enjoy:_

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When Duke stood up, he immediately looked over at me and grinned. Honestly, I had never seen him so happy! His entire face glowed in pride, the smile almost reached his ears, and his eyes just had this shine to them... It seemed like it was Duke's destiny to come to Narnia. He and Lucy had won this war for us. Duke was a hero.

Then, I realized something.

"Prince Duke." I said it out loud, paused and then scrunched up my nose. "That's a weird combination! Eww."

"That does sound funny," Vicern said thoughtfully.

Edmund nodded, "Very odd."

Lucy giggled while Susan rolled her eyes.

Peter smirked, "Prince Duke... What were your parents thinking?"

Super long silence.

"Maybe they were trying to be funny?" I offered.

Duke groaned, "Come on guys! I just became a royal and you're making fun of me?! What the hell? I thought that since I'm part of the your little 'We're-royalty-so-we're-totally-cool' club you guys would leave me alone."

"Not a chance," I replied happily.

"Tough luck," Ed shrugged. "You're just a prince. The rest of us are Kings and Queens."

Another super long silence.

I knew why and I could feel my cheeks heat up.

Apparently, Duke didn't care about whether or not I was embarrassed because he just went ahead and protested, "But Kayla is still just a Princess!"

Yet another super long silence.

I'm really starting to hate this conversation. It's not funny anymore, I want out! Just as I scrambled for excuses to leave, Aslan cleared his throat. We all instantly looked at him surprised, we pretty much forgot he was there.

Ignore Aslan?

Big no-no.

"Peter, this would be an excellent time," Aslan smiled and gave a nod. I could have sworn his eyes glanced at me.

Our heads turned to Peter now, who had suddenly paled. He shifted his weight from one leg to the other and stared down at the ground. Then, he ran his hand through his hair. I couldn't help but smile at that.

But my smile fell when Peter looked up at me without warning and said-

"Will you marry me?"

And then the longest, most awkward, and strangest silence **of my entire life **occurred.

Oh... My... God... Did he just... Did Peter just ask... Me and him...?

"WHAT?!" Three voices said together. All male.

Next thing I knew, I fainted.

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I fainted?

**I FAINTED?!**

Holy crap, why would I ever faint at a moment like that? A moment that I have dreamed about for years. A moment that I've yearned for secretly. WHY WOULD I FAINT?!

Leave it to me to ruin a moment like that. Oh, poor Peter! I must have hurt him or at least offended him. I mean, a girl fainting at your proposal isn't exactly very flattering, unless she was smiling and fainted from excitement. But I had just been standing there, shocked like a fool. My mouth hung over like a cow, my arms limp at my side, and I looked horrible with blood and sweat covering me. Not to mention my lower half was drenched from the river.

Oh yeah, so much for a romantic situation. Even a proposal in the middle of battle would have been nicer, at least we could have said corny lines like, "If I die here, I just want you to know I want to marry you!" Or something like that.

But no, he just says it randomly when I look like hell.

Sigh.

Oh who am I kidding? Peter's proposal was perfect no matter what!

BUT WHY DID I HAVE TO FAINT?

I'm such a bloody idiot!

So naturally, when I came back around to reality I was pretty pissed off.

"STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!" I screamed, my eyes flying open. Then I moaned and fell back onto the bed-

Whoa, what? **Bed?**

Glancing around, I was very taken aback to find me inside a wagon. That's right, inside a wagon- a moving wagon actually. My body shook slightly as the entire bed, floor, and walls rattled. The sounds of wheels squeaking along thundered in my ears-

Hold on.

Why aren't my ears ringing? A noise this loud should just make me grind my teeth in pain, my Guardian enhanced hearing couldn't take all this noise.

Hold on.

Why do I feel so... so...

"TIRED?" I screeched, horrified. Immediately, I sat up, but regretted it. Suddenly, my head went dizzy and I had to steady myself as I nearly fell off the makeshift bed. "I'm tired? How is this possible-"

"Good evening darling," The curtain that served as one of the walls opened and a very cheery Vicern jumped inside. He plopped himself down onto the bed and felt my forehead with the back of his hand. "Ah, you're feeling fine."

"What in the name of Aslan happened?" I demanded, pushing his hand away.

"Well, once upon a time there was an evil witch named Jadis who ruled over the country of Narnia. There was a prophecy that one day two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve would-" Vicern recited, being completely serious.

I nearly smacked him, I could feel my hand twitching to do so.

"Vi! I'm serious! I need the 411."

He frowned, "What is the 411 you speak of?"

"Only cool kids know it," I waved off the question. "Please, what's happened? Why am I tired?"

Vicern tipped his head and gave me a look of disbelief, "You haven't figured it out yet?"

"I'VE BEEN AWAKE FOR THIRTY SECONDS!"

"Wow, going back to your world must have made you dumb because its all very obvious."

"Listen you jerk I would-" Then, it clicked. My mouth squeezed shut, then dropped open, then I closed it.

Vi winked, "Took you forty seconds, but you've got it haven't you?"

My stomach clenched, "I-I've lost my Guardian and witch powers haven't I?"

"Correct."

"I'm a normal human again."

He shrugged, "I wouldn't exactly call you normal. You did faint when the love of your life proposed to you-"

"OH CRAP!" I let my head fall into my hands, I tried to hide from the world. "He must hate me!"

"No," Vicern's hands pulled at my own. Without my Guardian powers, I was no match. Within seconds he yanked my hands away from my face and forced me to look at him. Vicern was smiling and he said kindly, "Peter hate you? That's not possible. On the contrary, he's worried about you in the most affectionate manner. You would have fallen back into the river if he hadn't caught you when you fainted."

I bit my lip, "Where is he?"

"At the head of the migration. Peter and Caspian are leading the Narnians to the Telmarine city and castle for the parade."

"Parade?"

"Oh, that's right! You weren't exactly awake when all the decisions were made!" Vicern laughed.

"Very good sherlock."

"What is sherlock?"

"Don't worry about it," I sighed, "Please, no more games. Can you just update me on what I have missed? I need to see Peter-"

Vi reached out and touched my cheek lovingly, "I know. I'll be quick then. There will be a parade to welcome the Kings and Queens- along with our newly crowned Prince- of Narnia and the Narnians in the city. Caspian wants the Telmarines to openly accept the Narnians since this battle will have caused tension and bitterness for the families of the men who died. Duke and Edmund are leading the Telmarine soldiers a few hours ahead on the trail, they will make sure the soldiers are given medical treatment in the city and cleaned up for the parade."

"What happens after the parade?"

"Well, the new age of Narnia begins. The Narnians will build new homes, this time in the open and in freedom."

"Including the elves?" I whispered.

Vicern nodded and quietly replied, "Including the elves."

Then, a face appeared in my mind. A very pretty face.

"Oi! Who is that female elf I saw in my vision?" I asked, sitting up straight. "When I saw you dining with the elves you sat at this one, head table. And there was this elf and this _gorgeous_ lady elf-"

"Ah, you mean Lady Niomee."

Something about his tone set off alarms in my head.

My eyes narrowed, "Tell me."

Vicern's face didn't even falter, it remained blank. "Tell you what?"

"Tell me why you don't like her," I scoffed. "Come on, we may have been separated for years but I still know you well. I probably you know you better than Susan does! So don't even pretend with me! _Why don't you like this Lady Niomee?_"

Then, Vicern's fake calm expression broke. A look of pure dread came over him, "She's horrid!"

I giggled, "Why?"

"She actually thought I would want to court her!" Vicern snorted.

My amusement vanished. "What? Why? Hadn't you just returned to life?"

He nodded, "I had only been with the elves two days before you joined me in the hall during your vision. I do not know about you, but when I returned I simply seemed to appear out of thin air and into Narnia. I arrived right outside the entrance to the Elvin city in the caves-"

"So they actually had a city in there?" I was impressed.

"Yes, it was very large and intricate. There are thousands of elves in there, they had successfully remained a secret for all these years and made sure to kill any Telmarines who even came near the mountain. Over the generations, the Telmarines simply believed the mountain to be haunted and stayed away. Genius really. Anyways, I arrived outside and a guard found me. He nearly killed me but when I disarmed him-"

I rolled my eyes, "You don't need to say that so arrogantly."

"Well, I _am_ a King now."

"King of Fools."

Vicern pouted, "Do you want me to tell you about the Lady Niomee or not?"

"Yes," I replied and shut my mouth.

Content at my silence, Vi continued, "So I disarmed and demanded that he explain why he would attack me. Well, he didn't even know who I was by sight and when I told him my name he just tried to attack me again. I promised peace and he agreed to take me to the elves' so called 'king'. Turns out that they've had a line of stewards, if you will, take leadership through the generations until my royal line returned to save them. Lady Niomee's father was the current steward and after meeting with him, explaining who I was, we came to the conclusion that Aslan had brought me back to defeat the Telmarines. The elves welcomed me and I learned all about the situation in Narnia. Naturally I promised to do all in my power to help.

Unfortunately, Lady Niomee convinced her father that a marriage to me would help the elves. She seemed to think that by marrying me, I would officially be the leader of the elves because I would have a Queen. Ridiculous, especially when it was common knowledge among the elves that I had married the legendary Queen Susan. Our love story is actually a legend now..." Vicern paused and let out a bitter laugh, "Apparently the fact that I suffered and yearned for my dead wife for many decades is romantic. They even made plays out of it."

Wow, and I thought my life was awkward. Poor Vi.

"Can I talk now?" I asked.

"You already are," Vicern pointed out.

"True," I admitted. "So what did you say to the marriage proposal?"

"No of course!" Vi snapped, "I love Susan and that will never change. I had this... this hope that maybe since I had been brought, Aslan must have brought her back too. I knew she wasn't dead like you because as you know, Aslan came to me the day she and her siblings went back to your world-"

"In a different time," I reminded him.

"In a different age," He agreed. "All the same, he assured me that she was not dead and that one day I would see her. Honestly, I thought he meant in the afterlife, when I died I have her back in my arms... Clearly not."

I bit my lip, "H-How was death for you? For me, it was simply a world of nothing that lasted only a minute. Then I was back in my own world where only a second had passed during my time in Narnia."

A strange look came over Vicern. He looked like he was daydreaming and when he spoke, his voice was soft and gentle. "The land of peace, of afterlife, of the next adventure... is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. Far more beautiful than Narnia in summer. I have no words to describe it and I have no need for them anyways. One day, you will see the land for yourself."

"Heaven was nice then?" I smiled, relieved.

"Very."

We both didn't say anything, lost in our own thoughts. I couldn't help but feel extreme curiosity but fear at the same time about dying. I mean, properly. Sure, I had 'died' but only for a minute!

"Wait, what were we talking about before dying?" I asked randomly.

"Lady Niomee."

"Oh right," I said. "So, how did she react to your rejection."

"Not well, she didn't take no for an answer. She paraded around with such arrogance and confidence! Rumors flew of our engagement, rumors that she began no doubt! Lady Niomee clung to me like a desperate female, it was pathetic and rather annoying."

"Poor baby," I cooed.

"She'll be joining us at the castle during our stay there."

"Eww."

"Well, I don't mind. Susan and I are reunited, so Lady Niomee would not dare make any more advances on a married man."

"You're not married though," I reminded him. "Death broke your vows."

"I proposed to Susan after you feinted actually. We're engaged... again."

I gaped, "Oh."

"Speaking of getting engaged, you should probably go find that High King of yours."

I smiled and blushed, "Good idea."

We stood up and Vicern put his arm around me, "So what are you going to say?"

"Yes."


	28. Chapter 27

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**Chapter 27**

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Sorry for the long wait everyone!

Hope everyone had lovely holidays!

_Now enjoy:_

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Peter and Caspian were exactly where Vicern told me I would find them. They both rode their respective steeds and were chattering when we approached. It was odd to walk up and not be able to hear what they were saying. I had become accustomed to enhanced hearing...

Vicern had gone back to find Susan in the huge mass of travelers. She and Lucy were helping the children and elderly make the journey. He had walked away grinning ear to ear, talking to himself about a double wedding or something ridiculous like that. If he thinks that Susan and I are going to want to split one wedding then he's crazy. I wanted my own special day thank you very much! **Men!**

"I believe that the original location of their city will suit the elves just fine," Peter said to Caspian. "I was speaking to Vicern about it and he insisted that the elves wanted the land back."

"Yes, that's fine but who will clear the ruins from their old city? Do they wish to work alone or-" Caspian began.

"Vicern said he will speak to the elves about it. He wants them all to decide, not just Lady Niomee and her father." Peter explained.

I came so close that I could have touched both of their horses and they still had yet to notice me. Not wanting to scare them I didn't speak but rather walked alongside of them until I was slightly ahead of their horses. Caspian spotted me first and cried out, "Makayla!"

I winced. Since when did he call me by my full name?

"You're awake!" Peter smiled brightly, then his cheeks went red. Obviously, he was embarrassed about the circumstances. Ahhh! There I go! Now I was blushing too!

"Yes... Vicern explained to me what's happening." I said staring at the ground. "How much longer until we reach the city?"

"Another hour or so, you actually awoke in a timely fashion," joked Caspian. The three of us then all moved along in a silence, a very awkward silence to be specific. Peter was looking at me, I refused to lift my eyes from the ground, and Caspian was trying to glance around and give us privacy. Finally, after some oddly quiet moments Caspian cleared his throat and announced, "I will go find myself some food. Excuse me."

Getting food? More like getting the heck out of here!

The Prince's horse trotted away leaving Peter and I alone.

He didn't say anything, Peter simply slid off his horse and walked along side me. I don't think he liked being higher than me. One hand held onto the horse's reigns while the other reached out and held one of my own. It was really sweet and it made me look up at him with a smile.

"So," Peter said softly. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, just tired," I admitted. "I think I'm just going to relax when we get to the castle. I don't want to take a tour or meet all the snobbish nobles and lords..."

"Lucky, at least you have an excuse," Peter chuckled a bit. Then his fingers rubbed against my hand and I realized that his hand was sweaty.

Peter was nervous.

And that made me nervous.

"Peter..." I bit my lip, unsure of how to address the topic. Should I just say 'I ACCEPT' and be done with it? Or should I... Oh I don't know!

"Yes?" His voice was suddenly shaky and high.

"My answer is yes."

The words rushed out so quickly and easily that I hadn't even realized I said them until Peter's arms were around me and his mouth was covering mine. Oh my... I had just gotten engaged! _I was engaged!_ I couldn't stop thinking that over and over in my head as Peter continued to cover my face in sweet little kisses. He was laughing at the same time but he sounded so far away. I was in my own world right now.

Then I realized that Peter was talking.

"... Out in the hills or something. Perhaps in the forest, I know that you've always loved it there. Oh, how about the beach just outside Cair Paravel? Or better yet, actually on the remains of Cair Paravel? Or maybe-"

"Are you talking about where to have the wedding?" I asked, completely lost and confused.

Peter stopped talking and looked at me, his face flushed in excitement and happiness. His eyes were bright and I nearly burst out into laughter when I realized that his eyes were glossy with tear water. Peter was crying! Dear Aslan, I thought that the woman was supposed to the emotional one.

"Of course I am. Haven't you been listening?"

"Not really," I told him plainly. "I was sort of in a daze for the beginning. But I like the idea of having it at Cair Paravel. It would be rather suiting and romantic."

"Then we have a location!" Peter kissed me again, catching me by surprise. Goodness, I don't think I'll be able to keep up with all this affection. "How about a date then?"

"Will next Thursday at 2 PM work for you? I can schedule you in."

"Ha-Ha. This is our wedding and you're joking about it!" Peter said in disbelief.

I gaped at him, "You should hear yourself. You sound like the panicked and stressed bride-to-be!"

Peter gave me a funny look and then sighed, "You're right."

"We've been engaged for less than a minute and you're already planning out all the little details. I don't even have a ring you know-" I blinked. "Whoa, I don't even have a ring!"

"Vicern has asked the best Elvin welder on my behalf to make a wedding ring to match your beauty... An impossible challenge, but he will do the best job possible."

I groaned, "Since when did you become so romantic and such a charmer?"

"I was born this way of course," My fiance replied smugly.

"What about your ring?"

"It's just going to be a simple gold band. The welder is making it as well."

"And is Vicern having this elf make his and Susan's rings as well?"

"No actually. Vicern and Susan still have their rings. Aslan must have made the rings magic because they followed Vicern into the afterlife and Susan into our home world. Those rings never left their fingers."

I sighed softly, "Now _that_ is romantic."

Peter rolled his eyes and squeezed my hand, "Come on my Queen... If we keep standing here we're going to hold everyone up."

"Oh right," I glanced over my shoulder and sure enough the Narnians were catching up with us. "Are we both walking the rest of the way?"

"No, you're tired. We'll ride together." Peter let go of my hand and helped me up onto the horse, even though I could have managed on my own. Still, I was grateful for the boost. With incredible ease Peter jumped on and settled himself behind me in the large saddle.

For the rest of the ride I simply laid my head back and rested it on Peter's chest. It was nice to sit here with him, knowing that not only were we in love but now we were going to prove it in vows. I didn't know what would happen after... But I didn't care. All I could think about was how different things were going to be. What would be people call me? Queen? High Queen? I didn't want to be High Queen because it would seem as if I was better than Queens Susan and Lucy. And what would my parents say? Would they protest and ask that we wait until we were older? No, that wouldn't be right. Peter and I weren't young, maybe in body but certainly not in mind and spirit. Being whisked away to another world forced us to learn how to take care of ourselves. Being thrown into a war made us become strong and confident.

Narnia had changed us both tremendously. We had arrived children and left adults.

Peter kept quiet too, I think he was lost in his own thoughts. He kept one hand on the reins and the other on my hip. Occasionally his fingers would stroke my side soothingly.

Soon enough, time didn't seem to exist, the Telmarine castle and city came into view. As we walked the road that led into the heart of the city the Telmarines came out of their homes. I expected them to boo at us or throw things... Something that showed their hatred and hostility. Instead, they actually came out of their homes with flowers, ribbons, confetti, and most shocking... smiles.

They were happy to see us.

"Why don't they hate us? We just defeated them in battle," I whispered to Peter.

He was waving and smiling at them- as usual being the perfect royal. But he managed to say, "They knew that Miraz was a bad thing, they weren't happy under his power and rule. They're glad to see the true heir come to the throne..."

"I see," I replied even though I didn't. Still, Peter told me to at least smile so that we could further the peaceful relationships between the Narnians and Telmarines. It was awkward at first, but soon I was waving and genuinely giggling. Children followed our horse and cheered, confetti fell into my loose hair and onto my eyelashes, people laughed and welcomed us, and the Narnians responded with just as much energy. Animals let children pet them as their eyes were as wide as plates. Centaurs nodded with respect, something very rare for them, to the men and woman around them. Fauns danced down the street playing their flutes and fiddles.

"This is a fantastic parade!" I waved as a little girl shyly waved at me from behind her mother. A smile came on her face at my response and she moved forward and into view with renewed confidence.

"Kay!" A voice not belonging to Peter shouted.

I looked up the street and grinned to see Edmund and Duke running towards our horse. Peter had seen them too and was already getting off the horse, ready to help me down. Without any sign of struggle he lifted me off the saddle and set me on my feet on the street below.

Before I could thank him hands grabbed me out of Peter's hold and turned me around. The scent of Ed filled my nose and I instantly put my arms out to hug him. "Hi!"

"Enjoying the parade? I'm glad you're awake for it," Ed teased hugging me back.

"How long was she out?" Duke asked Peter.

"Several hours," answered my love. "She was exhausted from battle and the transformation back into a human."

"So don't give me crap about it please," I told Duke who was already looking at me with a wicked expression.

Of course he didn't listen to me. Duke winked and hugged me, pulling me away from Edmund. "Well aren't you the weak damsel? Feinting... I never thought I'd see the day that Makayla Steen would feint."

"What do you mean? You feinted in the tournament in Las Vegas last year!" I protested, feeling my pride hurt. In a water polo tournament I had walked in to the arena to find chaos. I managed to make out a group of people huddled around Duke who lay on the ground motionless.

"Dude, one of the guys from the other team punched me in the nose and knocked me out!" Duke rubbed his nose gingerly, "I had a broken nose remember? The ladies loved it though, I have never received so many free hugs and kisses."

I made a gagging sound while Ed and Peter sniggered.

"I'm surrounded by... by... **men**!" I cried out in horror.

A new set of arm wrapped around my torso from behind and I recognized their tan tone. Vicern laid his chin on my right shoulder and cooed, "Aww, poor Kay. Don't worry, now you have an elf around you."

"And two ladies," Added Susan who came to my right side.

"Who actually have brains," Finished Lucy who appeared at my left.

"I'm saved," I laughed and then looked around. "You know what? I'm happy."

Vicern scoffed, "What a random statement."

Peter glared at Vi in my defense. He knew me better and understood that I actually had a point. Politely he urged me on, "Why are you happy?"

"Look at us. The gang is back together and for once, we're not fearing for our lives or facing impending battle." I smiled and looked around. Here we all stood, alive and well once again and most importantly- together. "It's just nice to have everyone here getting along and loving each other."

Duke made a face, "I don't love you. I hate you."

My smile faded a bit.

"I'm just kidding Kayla."

"...Oh. Why did you have to say that? We were all having a perfectly nice moment. One that we will treasure in our hearts for eternity and then you have to go and say something awful like that!" I whined.

Susan sighed, "Here we go... Sometimes I wish that we were at war, it would stop all this childish bickering."

Vicern let go of me and went to his own fiance, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Is that so darling? Would it stop it all?"

"No, you're right. It would only minimize it."

"Oh shut up." We all chorused together.


	29. Chapter 28

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**Chapter 28**

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I'm going to be out of town for the next week!

Here's a long chapter!

_Now enjoy:_

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With some help from Peter, I managed to walk the rest of the way to the castle's entrance. My body was tired and sore, so I leaned heavily on his body. I don't know how he wasn't sore or complaining...I mean, he did **just** come out of battle!But then again, I personally don't believe Peter is human. He's my personal Superman.

I frowned when Peter kept his arms around my torso as we entered the entrance hall. I asked, "You're not going for the tour?"

Peter gave me a look that made me feel stupid.

"Nevermind!"

"Don't be daft Kay. I'm not going to abandon my fiance just so I can have a tour of a castle. Technically, we both already had a tour. We did raid the castle right?"

"True," I laughed a bit. Then I actually looked around the great entrance. This castle felt cold and unwelcoming... Even the stones looked hard and dark. I shivered a bit when I realized this would be home until... Well, until Aslan revealed my fate.

Peter noticed my shiver and gave my side a little squeeze of comfort, "Cold?"

"No," I sighed and kept my eyes on the floor. I didn't want to see the scary walls anymore. "I just miss Cair Paravel."

"I think we all do," Peter whispered. "This place feels more like a dungeon than a home. Come on, Caspian says we'll have rooms next to each other in the guest chambers."

"And you know where to find those?"

"No, but she does." Peter motioned towards a young girl who had appeared out of nowhere. She stood before us in raggedy clothing, clearing of low ranking, and said nothing. I then realized why- she was waiting to be spoken to first.

I hate class differences. It was so... medieval.

Which would make sense for this culture, so I shouldn't really be surprised.

"Hi," I chirped trying to see her face. The girl kept looking so far down at the ground that I couldn't even see her forehead. "Sorry but could you please show us to our rooms?"

At that, the girl looked up with wide eyes.

I gasped myself. She looked no older than 12! Soot and dirt covered her young face, evidence that she was responsible for cleaning chimneys or something of the sort. Why were they having a child do this work? She should be in school!

Oh man, I'm going to make sure I speak with Caspian about making a few changes around here...

Then I realized she was still staring at me. I bit my lip, "What? Is there something on my face-"

She viciously shook her head and without warning, turned around and started to walk quickly. That was our cue to follow apparently because Peter suddenly lifted me into his arms and chased after her.

"I can walk-" I began.

"Or I can save us time by simply carrying you," Peter cut in with a grin. "Plus, I like holding you."

My cheeks reddened and I grumbled, "I'm not helpless."

He still managed to hear me anyways and responded, "I know you're not. But your body is still exhausted from the change."

"You just came out of battle too! How can you have so much energy!" I pointed out, poking him in the chest. Ouch, I forgot how hard those muscles were.

Peter ignored the poke (or maybe he didn't even feel it) and said smoothly, "I didn't fight as much as you did. While you were taking down companies of men I was taking down one man at a time. You also had to destroy catapults and I didn't."

"Yes but you were human, you should be dead exhausted right now."

"I am."

I smiled, "So are you going to skip the tours entirely?"

"I'm following your example and taking a nap until the feast tonight."

"Alright, you are going to be my alarm clock then." I decided happily, "Wake me up for the feast."

He laughed, "Okay. Glad to know I'm of use to you."

For the rest of the time I simply took in my surroundings. The castle hallways all looked the same, with no artwork or color, so I knew for a fact that I was going to get lost if I tried walking anywhere alone. I think I'm just going to stick by Peter and hope for the best- he **never** seems to get lost.

The young girl kept quite a distance between herself and us. I was surprised at how fast she could walk... and so quietly too. She never bothered to look over her shoulder to make sure we were still following, Peter's boots echoed off the walls though.

Finally, she came to a stop in front of a large, wooden door. It had no marking on it which made me want to groan. Great... The chamber's door looked **exactly** like every other door in his castle.

An awkward moment ensued.

I peered at the girl strangely. Wasn't she going to tell us who this chamber belonged to? Was it mine or Peter's?

Peter cleared his throat and asked nicely, "Is this the lady's room?"

The child nodded but never lifted her eyes.

"And my room?" Peter questioned, his voice suddenly going very soft. I almost melted. He was good with children- pft, of course he was. This Superman had no flaws.

The girl pointed directly across the hall, curtsied, and then (literally) ran away. She disappeared as she turned a corner down the hall.

Peter and I stood there, gawking.

"Well... She seemed sweet?" I tried.

"She's just shy," Peter noted. "And young too."

"Much too young," I agreed nodding my head.

"We'll talk to Caspian about it," Peter offered as he put me down on my feet. "For now, we both need to get some rest. The feast isn't for another five hours."

"Alright," I reached out and took hold of the doorknob. It was freezing, just like the rest of this castle. Turning it, I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Immediately, I cringed.

"I feel like I'm prisoner," I moaned turning to hug Peter.

He was staring at the room with a raised eyebrow, "Well... at least you have a bed."

"And a barred window to look out of." I said dryly.

"I'll talk to whoever is in charge with redecorating the castle about that... That isn't very pleasant is it? Caspian did warn us that the castle isn't what we are used to. Why do you think he hated growing up here?" Peter kissed the top of my head, "It's only temporary. The castle should have some color and love soon enough."

I felt a bit better knowing that. Thank goodness Caspian agreed that this castle seriously needed some warmth in it! Nodding, I made my way over to the bed. I couldn't help but noticed how much my feet dragged behind me on the floor... I was weaker again.

As if being a teenager twice wasn't awkward enough! Now I have to go from super to loser! I was an ordinary woman again.

Well, that's not true... I mean, I cross worlds and am in love with Mr. Superman. Alright, I shouldn't complain.

"Kay?" Peter brushed some hair out of my face.

I blinked, "Yes?"

"You were daydreaming weren't you?"

"No," I sighed. "Just having a slight pity party."

Peter frowned, "Why?"

"It doesn't matter, I realized it was stupid." I assured him as I went under the covers. Yes, I was still gross and had blood on me, but sleep was more important than a bath.

"Alright," Peter bent over and kissed my forehead. Then he surprised me by kissing me on the lips, "I can't believe that I'm finally getting it."

I snuggled into the pillow and yawned, "Getting what?" My eyes were getting heavy... very heavy...

"My happy ending," He said happily.

And then I fell asleep.

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_"Honey? Can I come in?" My mother spoke softly, knowing that I was upset._

_"No!" I shouted, unwilling to see anyone. I sat alone on my bed, crying into a large teddy bear. Torn pictures and letters were scattered around the floor below me._

_"Oh Makayla! I'm coming in whether or not you want me to!"_

_The door swung open- my parents refused to allow me to have a lock. There stood my mother with her arms behind her back._

_I glared, "I don't want to talk to you."_

_"Okay..." Mom faked a sigh and then moved her hands into view. "But I guess you don't want to talk to Ben or Jerry either right?"_

_I couldn't help it... I smiled._

_Mom immediately took her chance and plopped herself down besides me. Handing me a spoon she opened the tub of ice cream and frowned at the floor, "You're going to have to clean all that up."_

_I rolled my puffy eyes and took a bite of ice-cream._

_"Kay..." Mom used her free hand to rub my back soothingly. "Breaking up with your first boyfriend is always hard-"_

_"We never even kissed Mom," I whispered feeling the tears coming again. My throat burned, despite the cold ice-cream. "He doesn't count as a boyfriend."_

_"Whatever you want to call him darling," Mom amended. "Point is, you had feelings for this boy and you're hurting. It's alright to be sad... But Kay, you're only 13. You're young! There are plenty of other boys out there who are much better than Josh-"_

_"His name is John," I muttered._

_Mom scoffed, "Does it even matter? Any boy who rejects my girl is obviously an idiot."_

_I laughed and took another bite of ice-cream._

_A good thing about Mom is that she never pushes. She never pushes me with horrible questions... Mom knows how to be patient. She knows and understands that I'll talk when I need to._

_After a few minutes of swallowing delightful ice-cream, I asked, "How did you know Dad was 'the one'?"_

_Mom grinned, "You just know. It's hard to explain, especially to someone who is just starting out as a woman... I knew that your father was the one for me because every time we went out he would smile at me from across the room or brush his arm against mine... Just little things like that to make sure everyone knew I was his."_

_I frowned, "Sounds like you were a thing."_

_My mother chuckled, "A little doesn't it? But he never treated me like one. Oh no... Your true love will always treat you with respect and value your opinion. Your father used to be very proud, but with me... Well, he's humbled let's just say."_

_"I don't think I'll ever find true love," I grumbled stabbing the ice-cream with my spoon in anger._

_"What makes you say that?"_

_"I'm the ugly one in the family." I threw myself at my pillows so I wouldn't have to face her. "You and sis are gorgeous. Dad's so handsome and I'm... ugh!"_

_Mom set down the ice-cream somewhere because next thing I know she was laying next to me. Her face was tensed, "Did this boy tell you that you were ugly?"_

_My silence was my answer._

_She sucked in a breath... Oh crap, that meant she's pissed._

_"Uhh, Mom?" I whispered._

_"What is John's last name?" Mom asked in a very scary voice. It was cool and collected- but lethal._

_"Makim." I trembled in fright._

_"Ah, he's Rosie's son then? I'll be sure to give her a phone call later today."_

_My eyes widened, "Mom! You can't! He'll know I told you!"_

_"Who cares? That boy is a fool!" Mom waved away my protests, "Honey you're going to find a very handsome and nice man one day. He's going to treat you like a Queen and you're going to fall in love... Don't let anyone like this Josh-"_

_"John."_

_"Whatever his name is get in the way." Mom petted my cheek, "Alright?"_

_"Alright." I whispered, hiding my face in my pillow._

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"Your highness."

Someone poked me.

"Your highness..."

They poked harder.

"Your highness!"

My eyes flew open and I screamed, "AHHH!"

The young girl jumped back, her face bright red and her eyes wide in terror. She lost her footing and flew backwards, until her back collided with the wall. Without even making a sound of pain, she fell to the ground.

"Oh!" I threw the covers off me and jumped out of bed. I walked over to her, ignoring the fact that my warm feet were freezing on the stone floor, and lifted her up. "I'm so sorry! Jeez, are you alright?"

I got no reply.

The girl didn't even lift her head as I let her arm go once she had her footing.

"What's your name?" I asked, trying to sound like Peter had... Nice and gentle. But I think I failed because the girl barely whispered-

"Tilda."

"Hi, I'm Kay," I grinned at her. "Are you my alarm clock?"

Tilda gave me a strange look.

I flushed, "Oh, sorry you don't know what that is... I meant to say, are you here to wake me up for the feast?"

"Yes, your highness." Tilda walked across the room to a closet. The room was quite bare with only the basic necessities. A bed, closet, small desk, and a door that I believed led to a bathroom. I followed behind her and watched as she opened the wooden doors to reveal a dress inside, "King Caspian has provided you with this for tonight."

I reached out and was about to take hold of the dress when voices distracted me. They were loud voices too and sounded angry. I backed away from the closet and strained my ears to figure out where they were coming from.

"The hallway," Tilda answered my unspoken question.

Dang, she's a ninja or something. Not only does she move like one but she has the senses too!

I ran over to the door and pressed my ear against the door. When Tilda didn't, I waved her over, "Come on!" I whispered.

Honestly, I don't know why I was eavesdropping. It was probably some Telmarines who were bitter about losing the war... Still, I just felt like being nosey. Sorry.

The voices were just outside the door.

"If that little whore thinks that she can just march back in and steal everything from me..." The speaker hissed in fury.

Whoa, it was a woman!

A second lady spoke, sounding a bit timid, "But my lady, I do not understand. What did she steal-"

"You fool! She has stolen my rank! My future husband! Now I will never be Queen of the our people. Why would our King, an elf, marry a human? She has bewitched him most likely..." The woman paused and then gasped, "Yes! She had her horrid friend, that fire witch, do it for her. I've seen how that witch is with my Vicern! She's cast a spell on him!"

"But she is not that kind of witch-"

"Silence! She is, have you not heard the stories? They say a rival witch cast a spell of High King Peter... And he killed her in cold blood. Obviously she has learned the ways of dark magic after that experience."

I swear, my jaw was on the floor at this point.

Who the hell was this woman?

All of a sudden, a third female spoke. And she sounded just as passionate as the first. "What are we going to do about this Susan?"

"We're going to ruin her." The first giggled, but it made me shiver in fright. What an evil giggle! "We're going to ruin her completely... Starting tonight."

I heard their footsteps lead away from the hallway.

Tilda and I stared at each other in shock.

"We have to keep Susan safe," I whispered in horror.


	30. Chapter 29

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**Chapter 29**

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Well I'm back and exhausted. Who knew doing charity work was so tiring?

_Now enjoy:_

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I inspected myself in the mirror, actually pleased with the dress. To my surprise Caspian seemed to have realized that I preferred simply dresses as opposed to elaborate and layered gowns. So, he provided me with a lovely blue dress that matched my eyes. The material was soft and shiny but durable. The sleeves went down to my wrists while the bottom of the gown barely touched the floor. It was a great fit... Something told me Susan had provided my measurements to the seamstress.

Tilda stood behind me and I noticed she was staring at my reflection too. But for once, her expression wasn't filled with fright, embarrassment, or shame. Instead her face actually looked like it belonged to a little girl... Full of innocence, wonder, and awe. Her eyes were big and her mouth slightly open as she gaped at me in my dress.

My cheeks burned slightly- no one had ever gaped at me like that before. I recognized the look on her face... Almost all my life I had stared up at my sister with the very same expression. My sister had always been a beauty- leaving me to stare at her in wonder and later envy.

"Tilda," I said with a smile, "Would you like to have a bath?"

The child jumped at the sound of my voice and her expression instantly changed to one of terror. "A b-bath?"

"Yes! You have such a pretty face, but it's hidden behind all that soot." I turned around, took her by the hand, and pulled her along to the door that led the bathroom. Inside was a tub of water that I had just used. It surely wasn't _that_ dirty from me. I mean she could still use the water right?

"Oh... shoot, nevermind." I groaned when I opened the door and saw the state of the bath. The once clear water was now murky. Blood, dirt, and leaves had fouled the water.

"It's okay your highness," Tilda whispered. "My momma can wash my face later if you would like-"

"Tilda, have you ever taken a bath in your own tub in a private room?" I asked laughing.

She couldn't even process words. Tilda simply shook her head.

"Well, we can't have that!" I chided and picked up a bucket from the ground. Other servants had brought up water in large buckets and lit a small fire beneath the tub to heat the water. "Can you use another bucket to take out the dirty water? I'm going to see if I can bring up some new water-"

Tilda gasped, as if I had told her the most horrible thing in the world. Her face was ghostly white and she had froze in place. "M-Momma says s-servants can't use p-private baths!"

I wanted to cry out in frustration! It was so hard... Having to live with all these class and social standards. Why couldn't people see how this system was so wrong? No use trying to explain modern culture to a child though. Instead, I had to try another tactic: Humor.

I gave her a wink and conjured up my best smile, "Then we better not tell your mother right? I'll be back in a few minutes, I'm going to get you some water."

"But-"

"Tilda, please let me do this for you... Where I come from there are no servants. There are no royalty. Everyone can have a bath in their own tub any time they want." I told her in a light voice. "Be right back!"

With that, I skipped out of the bathroom. I stopped skipping though when I exited the chambers entirely and made it to the hallway. My body was horribly sore from battle and skipping wouldn't improve things. I just hoped I could handle at least one dance with Peter tonight.

Damn, Vicern is going to want to dance too...

And Edmund.

And possibly Caspian.

Ugh!

My original plan had been to go straight to the kitchens were I could get fresh water, but I realized that with one bucket I would have to make several trips up and down the castle stairs. So, I decided to call upon my own personal slave.

"Peter!" I knocked on the door, grinning.

After a few moments of waiting, Peter opened the door in all his glory. He was dressed himself and I couldn't help but grin even more at his appearance. Peter looked just as handsome and regal as the day of his coronation all those years ago. Only now, he wasn't so young and inexperienced. Standing before me was a man of patience, kindness, and wisdom.

"You are looking quite dashing sir," I gave him a curtsey.

Peter laughed, his face brightening. "My lady..." He gave me a deep bow and then straightened back up. "Why are you holding a bucket?"

I took in his face. It was still light and happy, no hint of surprise or curiosity. "You don't look puzzled at me holding a bucket while in a gown."

"With you," Peter leaned against the doorway and shook his head, "Nothing really shocks me anymore."

"Oh." I blinked, "I'm going to take that as a compliment. _Anyways_, I am holding a bucket because I going to bring up Tilda some water for a bath."

Peter nodded, accepting this easily. "Alright, but who is Tilda exactly?"

"Remember the little girl who showed us to ours rooms earlier?"

"Ah, the quiet one."

"Yup!" I reached out and tugged on Peter's arm gently, "Come on... You're going to help me bring a little girls' dream to life!"

Peter stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind him. He didn't protest as I continued to tug him down the corridor. "I don't understand."

"Well, here they have servants and royals right? I remember reading once in a history book that it was considered an privilege to take a bath daily. Tilda looks like she hasn't had a proper bath in... who knows how long." I bit my lip, "You should have seen her face Peter. She looked like she had gone to heaven or something when I told her she would have a bath in the tub."

Peter didn't say anything at first. After a few seconds of silence I looked up at him curiously. His face was pensive, but then relaxed again with a small smile on his lips.

"What?" I asked.

"That was very kind of you. What inspired the idea of letting her have a bath?" He questioned.

"Um," I let his arm go as we reached a turn in a corridor that I didn't recognize. "When I was fixing my hair in the mirror I caught her staring at me... She was staring at me as if I was a fairy princess or something. I used to look up at my sister like that too. I realized she needed some pampering herself. Hey, which way? Right or left?"

"Right." Peter said easily, without hesitation.

I turned right, trusting him completely. While my sense of direction may have failed, his remained perfectly in tact. Peter and I talked and laughed as we got water from the kitchens. I barely could hold my one full bucket of water while Peter seemed to have no problem with two buckets. The kitchen staff were surprised at our request for water- especially when we were wearing such nice clothes- but they didn't question us.

The buckets were rather large and I knew that three would be enough to give Tilda a satisfactory bath. I opened the door to my chamber and Peter followed behind me as I went over to the bathroom door.

I knocked, "Tilda?"

"Y-Yes?" The door opened slightly and Tilda stuck her head out. I noticed she still had her clothes on. Good.

"Hi," I greeted and motioned for her to move the door open more, "Pete and I got some water for you. Ah! I see you already lit the fire! Excellent."

Poor Tilda, as if she wasn't in a state of shock already... When she saw Peter carrying the buckets her legs gave out and she sat on the floor watching as we poured the water into the tub. The old water had been taken out and poured onto the floor where a drain carried it all away.

"Y-Your h-h-highness..." Tilda could barely speak.

Peter lowered the empty buckets and smiled at her, "Enjoy your bath. Is there anything else you need? Kay, does she have shampoo?"

"Everything is in that little box right there," I pointed to a wooden box besides the tub. I put my hands on my hips, "Well, have fun Tilda. Don't worry about rushing it. I won't be needing any help now... Peter can escort me to the feast and you can have the rest of the evening to spend with your family-"

"Momma and I are working in the kitchens for the feast." Tilda said, then blushed. "S-Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt-"

"No, no!" I was a bit taken aback. Not because she had spoken up but because she hadn't stuttered at first. Seemed Tilda was a bit more confident.

Then again, when did servants have their own personal private bath drawn up by a King and a Princess?

And then I felt content, knowing that I had made Tilda's life a little bit happier. Even if it was just for a bit.

"Alright," Peter slid his hand into mine, "We'll leave you to it."

We exited the bathroom and Peter closed the door behind him. "I think she's very happy."

"I hope so," I squeezed his hand. "So what do you want to do until the feast?"

"I actually have something to give you," Peter led us back out into the corridor. But rather than walk away he simply crossed the hallway and opened his own door. Like a gentleman, he held it open for me.

I entered and examined his room. It was exactly like mine, the only difference I noticed was that the bed had a different colored quilt than my own.

But then I noticed something on the bed.

"What's..." I trailed off, when I recognized the object. "Oh, Peter where did you get that?"

A silver circlet lay on the quilt. The metal shined and it looked so delicate but lovely. I looked over at Peter who walked over to pick it up.

"After the battle Caspian sent a messenger ahead of the migration to alert his personal blacksmith to make this for you." Peter lifted and placed the circlet onto my head. It felt cool against the skin of my forehead and I smiled.

"I must thank him," I whispered. "It's beautiful."

Peter kissed the tip of my nose slowly and then pulled away slightly. Our faces were a few inches apart and I couldn't stop staring at his face. Everything about his face was welcoming and comforting.

"Some centaurs have volunteered to journey to Cair Paravel to retrieve our proper crowns and a few other valuables from the treasury. Edmund wanted to go with them but Susan wouldn't have it-"

Then my dreamy expression shattered.

"Susan!" I gasped, jumping back in alarm. "Oh Peter! I nearly forgot to tell you!"

"What?" Peter was frowning, obviously alarmed by my behavior. "What's wrong?"

I sat on the edge of his bed and told him about the distressing conversation Tilda and I had overheard only two hours ago. Once I had recounted the event, I growled, "Peter... They were threatening her. They're planning to do _something_ terrible to Susan tonight."

Peter hadn't uttered a word up yet. But now that I had finished, he stopped his pacing so that he could sit down besides me. "Do you have any idea who this woman was?" His voice was hard- no one threatened those he loved.

I gave him a timid nod, "I believe... I believe it was an elf of high status. Obviously she feels that Susan has stolen Vicern away and that I have bewitched him."

"Who would-"

"Her name is Lady Niomee," I muttered. "She is the Elvin Steward's daughter... A princess of sorts I guess you could say. It makes sense, she was going to inherit the job of ruling the elves in the absence of a Vicern's royal line and now..."

"And now not only has that ruler returned, but he has also brought his bride back." Peter finished with a solemn face. "Yes, she does have reason to be angry. Still, she will not lay one finger on my sister!"

"What are we going to do?" I asked quietly, slightly afraid. Personally, I had no idea how to protect Susan. How could I guard her when I did not know anything about the attack? Would they 'ruin her' with rumors? With violence? With political harm?

For once, Peter seemed uncertain. He didn't have a plan because he didn't say anything. We sat there in silence for a while, both lost in our own thoughts. Then a question popped into my mind.

"Are we to tell Vicern about this?"

After a pause, Peter nodded. "Yes."

I sighed, "I don't know if we should. As soon as he knows he will be on the defensive and won't be able to focus on anything important like rebuilding the Elvin city and-"

"If someone was making threats against you," Peter responded darkly, "Then I would want to know. Vicern and Susan were married for many years Kay... As her husband, he has the right to know."

"Alright, sorry I was just thinking-" I tried to apologize, realizing he was right.

"Don't even think that way," Peter barked. His eyes were narrow and the muscles in his jaw kept clenching. "You need to be serious here. These elves can really hurt my sister."

My heart clenched, "I just meant-"

"Be quiet, I need to think for a second." Peter stood up and began to pace again.

I stiffened.

Had he...? Had Peter just snapped at me?

What the hell! I know he was upset, but there was need to talk to me in such a manner. Anger swept up inside me. Mixing anger with my worry and frustration with Susan's safety did not mean anything good.

I stood up silently, walked over to the door, and never looked behind me. In a flat tone I said, " She's not just _your_ sister. She's **mine** too... Well, she would have been anyways. Guess not anymore."

Without another word, I left the room.

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Stupid, stupid Kay.

I was lost. Horribly and terribly lost.

"Why do all these bloody hallways look _exactly_ the same?" I muttered, still in a foul mood. This day was strange- full of all sorts of emotions. Battle was tiring enough mentally, but now I had crazy elves after my best friend and was currently having relationship problems with my fiance.

And to add to my day, I have no idea where I am. I had left Peter's room over fifteen minutes ago. The feast most likely was beginning now. Everyone would be seated at their seats- except for mine. Mine would be empty.

And Susan would have one less person to keep her safe!

"Ugh! I need mapquest!" I leaned against a cold wall, losing hope. Closing my eyes, I tried to retrace my steps earlier with Peter. After about the fourth turn my memory failed... So I had guessed as best as I could. Now, I was somewhere on the third floor of the castle judging by the views from the few windows I passed.

"In need of rescuing?" An amused voice asked. I felt relief wash over me at the sound of an American accent.

"Duke!" I pushed myself off the wall and half-ran over to him. Giving him a hug, I laughed, "Thank goodness! I thought I would die of starvation."

He put an arm around my shoulders and smirked, "Hey. Did I hear you say something about needing mapquest?"

I blushed and tried to keep a straight face, "No."

"Kayla... We're in a castle in a magical land. I don't think mapquest can help you out here, sorry darling."

"Oh hush up," I grumbled.

Duke laughed, his arm shaking in mirth. "So, are you on your way to the feast? You look nice by the way."

"Thank you," I peeked at his outfit. "I like your tunic. Personally, I think a tuxedo suits you more though. And yes, I was on my way."

"Ha-ha," He replied dryly. "Like a tuxedo would really work for this time period."

I giggled, "You're right. Scratch out the tux."

"So... Where's Peter?" Duke glanced down both ways of the corridor, "Isn't he supposed to escort you or whatever? Ed said that now you guys are engaged, Peter's your official escort for everything."

"Yes," I played with the circlet nervously. "Well, I don't even know if there even is an engagement anymore."

Silence.

Then a second arm wrapped around me, Duke's gentle hug sent warmth through me. I could feel my eyes begin to burn-

No.

I refuse to cry.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Duke asked nicely, in a whisper.

I gulped down the urge to cry and laid my head against Duke's chest, "I..."

Did I want to talk about it?

Just as I was about to refuse the offer, something made me change my mind. I gave in. "Yeah, sure. I think it'll help."

"Come on, let's go find somewhere private." Duke pulled away slowly but kept one arm on my shoulders. Even as we walked, with him leading of course, I kept my head leaning on him. I forgot how much I needed Duke. He was my guardian. He was my healer. He took care of me.

"Thank you," I blurted.

"For what?" He asked, sounding amused. "You haven't cried on my shoulder yet."

I half-smiled at that. "No... I mean, thank you for still caring for me. Even a-after I... I... Well, us and-"

"Kayla, no matter what, I'm here for you okay?" Duke cleared his throat, "Let's wait for the mushy stuff for later. Right now, I'm trying to figure out where to go. Library?"

"How about gardens?" I suggested, "Fresh air would be nice."

"Gardens it is!"

The walk was very short, but maybe that was because I didn't pay attention. I probably should have, but I didn't care. Right now... Right now I just wanted to curl up and cry. I wanted to sob until my tears ran out and I lost my voice. Right now, I needed someone. And I don't know why, because I don't think I deserved him, but I had Duke to help me.

The cold night air felt wonderful on my skin. For too long had I been used to the fire inside me. Always warm, yet never cold.

"Need my cape?" Duke winked, "Wow... Never though I would offer a girl a freaking _cape_."

"No, I like the cold." I inhaled deeply and looked up at the sky. The stars shone brightly here in Narnia, they always had. They didn't hide behind smog and city lights anymore.

"It's more beautiful here than I could have ever imagined, " Duke was saying. "You always told me about the stars... But I never thought they'd be this clear. Oh, there's a bench. Want to sit?"

I nodded, looking back down to Earth. What a shame... I couldn't just fly up and hide on the moon. We sat down on a stone bench in the middle of the gardens. They were much smaller than the gardens of Cair Paravel, with lots less colors and flowers too. But they did have many more trees and shrubs.

The bench we sat on was hidden from the main walkway of the castle by two large shrubs. Good, because if anyone on their way to or from the feast passed by, they wouldn't see us.

"So..." Duke mused, "Shall we stall or shall we get straight to the venting session?"

I shook my head and tried to laugh, but it came out as a choke. "You're always so light-hearted."

"And you're too serious."

I scoffed, "According to Peter, I'm not serious enough."

"Ah, straight to the venting session," Duke muttered to himself. Then to me he said, "Did you two have a fight?"

"No, more like him lashing out at me."

"Ouch," Duke winced. "What happened?"

I told him everything, even about the threats against Susan. Unlike Peter, Duke didn't lose his cool. He blinked in surprise but then nodded in immediate acceptance. His face didn't become angry and he didn't tense up. Instead, he seemed more concerned about me.

"Are you alright? You must be worried... and pissed off about this Niomee lady." Duke reached out and stroked my hair.

I stared at him in surprise. "Y-You're very calm."

"Well, I've learned that magic and other worlds exist. I've fought in a war. And I've fallen in and out of love... I think I can handle anything now."

Now I was gaping. "O-Out of..."

Duke gave me a huge grin, "Yeah. I realized that as long as you're happy, then I'm happy. Peter loves you, more than I ever could. I didn't think it possible, but it is."

Anger surged in me again, "Oh yeah? Well if he loved me so much then he wouldn't have treated me like a piece of-"

The grin vanished, replaced with an angry frown. "I don't know why he thought it was okay to take out his own emotions on you. Sure, he's upset that his sister is being threatened. I mean, that's expected. But that doesn't mean he should lose his sense with you..."

Then he gave me a hesitant look.

I nudged him, "What? Go on, say it."

Duke scratched his chin and said slowly, "I... I think the sister comment was a low blow though. I mean, saying that Susan 'would' have been your sister but 'not anymore'?" He whistled lowly, "Way to kill a man Kayla."

I began to feel guilty, but then I remembered the cruel and mean tone Peter had used with me. Defensive, I crossed my arms. "It's true though... W-Why would I want to marry someone who is going to treat me like some worthless piece of junk every time he's upset?"

"You're just saying all that in anger," My friend continued to stroke my hair. He always seemed to do it, but I didn't mind, it felt nice.

"N-No," I lied.

"You're horrible at lying."

For that comment, I moved away so that he couldn't touch my hair anymore. "Whatever."

Duke sighed and moved closer again, "So the marriage is off?"

"Yes," I said it without even thinking about my answer. I knew Duke was right. I was letting my temper and foul mood rule my judgement, but right now I couldn't even think about binding myself with Peter. How could he treat me like that?

How could he make me feel so worthless? So dumb? So... unimportant. It was as if I was nothing to him. He felt that it was perfectly fine to shut me up and order me about.

My inner strength and morals screamed in protest at that sort of treatment.

"Well," Duke began to weave his fingers through my blonde hair again. "It's your decision, just make sure you're not being rash. Like I said... keep in mind that we might go home..."

"I know," I whispered, closing my eyes. "I don't want to even think about this anymore."

"Okay," He said in a cheery voice. "Let's talk about this tiara thing on your head."

"It's called a circlet." I opened my eyes to look at him and laugh.

"Same thing," Duke shrugged. "How come I don't get one? I'm a Prince of Narnia now right?"

"Huh," I nodded, "You're right. When's the last time you checked your bed?"

"A few hours ago. I got ready as soon as the tour was over. Since then, I've sort of just been wondering around getting used to all the hallways."

"Caspian had this made for me so I'm guessing he made one for you too." I elbowed him, "You are his best friend now after all."

"Let's go then, maybe he left it in my room as a gift." Duke jumped back up to his feet and then gave me a mock boy, "May I have your arm Princess?"

I got up and linked arms with him, "You may, Prince."

Duke sniggered, "Mom is going to love this. Me a Prince... who knew."

We passed near the doors to the main hall, they were thrown wide open with guards at the entrance as a formality. The guards didn't even look at us, but instead kept their eyes straight forward. As Duke and I climbed the stairs to the high floors, the laughter and talking from the feast echoed off the walls. I paused on the staircase, Duke paused alongside me, and I glanced at the doorway sadly. Sounds like everyone was having a great time without us.

To be more specific...

Peter was just fine without me.

"Maybe it's time for us to go home Duke," I said morosely and turned away from the doors.


	31. Chapter 30

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Chapter 30

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So the last chapter was double the length of my normal 2000 word chapter. But that didn't seem to impact the amount of reviews I received.

**PLEASE Review!**

As a writer, I am motivated when I know that people really care about reading what I'm putting out there. You can make suggestions, comments, or reactions.

I truly appreciate reviews. Thank you!

Now enjoy:

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"I have never had this much fun at a feast- and I've been to many, trust me." I jumped back and laughed when Duke threw a grape at me. "Oi! What was that for?"

Duke shrugged, "Just felt like throwing a grape at you. It's fun you know? Wanna give it a try Tilda?" He held out a large and plump to the giggling child. Tilda looked at the grape and then at me. Her giggling increased, but thankfully she didn't accept the offer.

Shrugging, Duke slouched even more in his sea and said, "Your loss."

Music filled the air, laughter bounced off the walls, and on the table were plates and bowls of magnificent food. Thought it may seem like it... I hadn't joined the feast. Instead, I'd joined the kitchens. Servants ran about- some with calm demeanors, but most looked flustered and panicked. Tilda's mother was actually level-headed, even though she oversaw the kitchens tonight. Tilda had inherited her gorgeous light brown eyes from her 'Momma'. But I could only assume that she had gotten her shy and quite disposition from her father.

"Lupe!" I called out to Tilda's mother as she passed by, carrying some chicken.

She handed the chicken to another woman who scurried away. Momentarily free, Lupe approached our table, "Yes my lady?"

"Ugh," I made a face. "Please, no titles. Not in here."

Lupe laughed and bent over, kissing the top of her daughter's head, "If it pleases you, then no titles."

"Thanks," I nodded. "I just wanted to say thank you for letting us help here. We... We didn't really feel like joining the festivities and politics."

"That's quite alright," Lupe replied in her thick accent. Her voice was unwavering and confident, but soothing all the same. She carried herself with pride and authority, greatly contrasting her daughter. "It's very entertaining to see my workers' faces when they see two royals, dressed in the finest silks, sitting in the middle of our kitchen."

"And working!" Added Tilda. It was true. Instead of dancing and drinking the night away with other high figures of society, Duke and I were helping Tilda wash the fruit and vegetables for the cooks. I did spill a bit of water on my silk, but compared to Duke who had somehow managed to get milk stains on his cape (I have no idea how) I was doing fine.

I couldn't help but notice how the other younger girls or women had looked at Tilda with new respect and wonder. Tilda's face had turned bright red when one girl actually complimented her. Apparently, Tilda was bullied, but now that she was favored by royals (Duke and me) she was invincible.

Strange what a bath can do for someone.

"I'm tired," Duke suddenly announced when Lupe walked away.

Tilda giggled while I rolled my eyes.

"You're always tired," I mumbled. "And as a man, you're lazy."

"Shut up Kayla."

"Whatever," I sighed at the overly-used phrase. Then I glanced over at Tilda, who was grinning to herself as she placed some apples in a bowl. She seemed happy this evening, shining and beaming. Her face was clean and her hair braided by her mother. Tilda looked like a proper child... A lovely little girl.

A pang hit my heart.

I felt water come to my eyes and my nose began to tingle. Dropping my eyes to the floor, I sniffed.

"What's up?" Duke's voice turned from playful to concerned.

My lips turned slightly upward in a sad smile, I could feel them trembling though. Ugh... I will not cry!

Forcing myself to bring my eyes up, I blinked and felt a tear fall. I managed to look at Tilda. "Sorry... But you remind me of a dear friend."

Tilda stopped grinning when she saw my expression. Suddenly, she appeared ashamed. Hastily she murmured, "I am sorry-"

"No," I laughed roughly. "Sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like an insult or anything. Her name was Resa... She was my maid during my first visit to Archenland, but became one of my greatest friends. She was a kind girl- a bit older than you actually. Her mother also worked in the castle."

"Oh, her mom mad your gown for the ball right? The night Patdor and Maret got married?" Duke plopped a grape into his mouth, "Weren't you a bird or something?"

I sighed dreamily, "Yes... That was an amazing night. They were so deeply in love and yet a silly law stood in their way."

"What?" Tilda leaned forward in curiosity. "Please, will you tell me the story?"

And so I did... with a lot of crying and laughing. Duke sniggered when Jedur, Lord Von's butler, had stolen me away from Peter for an awkward dance. Tilda gasped and blushed when Patdor expressed his undying love for a servant girl.

"Now that I'd convinced Peter to give the blessing, Jedur fetched the priest. We all stood in that church in the middle of the night, witnessing true love finally be fulfilled. It was a beautiful night, the weather was perfect. The moonlight streamed through the stained glass, creating this rainbow effect on the dark walls. Maret... Dear Aslan, she looked like a goddess standing there. She wore my best gown and I swear, it was like she had been born a noble. The grace she possessed..." I trailed off, thinking back to the night.

"_May the ruling royal make his blessing." Announced the priest._

_Peter stepped forward, Patdor and Maret getting on their knees in a bow. "I exempt you from the law of Archenland, you have my royal blessing to be married. May you love and cherish one another forever… I wish you only the best. Stay strong, for there will be people who will challenge your union, but know that you will always have a place in Narnia waiting for you if need be."_

"_Bring forth the rings." The priest said to me._

_Holding the cushion with the two golden rings, I walked to Peter's side. Patdor and Maret stood up, and faced one another. Going first, Patdor took the ring with the ruby and placed it onto her finger. "For my wife."_

_Following his example, Maret took the plain gold ring and placed it onto his finger. "For my husband."_

"How romantic!" A middle-aged woman wiped away some tears with her sleeve.

Her friend clasped her hands dramatically, "And to think that King Peter defied Lord Von! The legends have always said that High King Peter was a kind man... And her certainly was!"

Tilda leaned on her elbow and dazed up at the ceiling, "He followed his heart and let true love win. He didn't care about politics."

The dozen girls who had gathered around the table to listen all cooed and sighed. My story had attracted an audience- all females of course- and Duke had given up on listening to the lovey-dovey details. He'd gone off to help some men with getting some more firewood for the giant stoves.

"You are blessed child," An elderly woman patted my shoulder. "You are marrying a fine man of character."

Suddenly, I wanted to go and curl up to die. I felt my neck burn in shame and I shook my head slightly. My voice was hoarse as I said, "I don't deserve him."

And before I knew what she was doing, the wise old woman was shooing everyone away. No one challenged her, they all fled for their lives. Apparently, the old bird was dangerous.

"Darling, what happened?" She asked, rubbing my back nicely.

I began to choke up, "I was stupid. A-And I got mad at him because- oh! I h-had a right to be angry! He was so... soo... ugh!"

"You're young," She chuckled, "But you certainly must know that men are fools at times. When they do something wrong, they won't admit it... at first. They get defensive. They're stubborn creatures, you just need to wait them out."

"But I think I overreacted-" I cut myself off because I didn't want to go on. I didn't know if I had reacted rightly or not...

"What did the boy do?"

"He learned some disturbing news and treated me like... like I was nothing. He told me to be quiet when I tried to speak and insulted me when I tried to help." I bowed my head, "Peter has _never_ been disrespectful to a woman before. In our world, women and men are the same... We are equals."

"And how did you react?" The woman asked in a soft voice. It was comforting to know that she wasn't judging, just listening. I couldn't help but wonder what my own grandmother was like... Dad's mom had died but Mom's mom still lived in England. I'd never met any of my grandparents.

"I was," I gritted my teeth. "I was angry. Absolute fury just came and I acted upon my anger without thinking. I... Oh dear Aslan, I said that Queen Susan would never be sister."

She was quiet for a moment, then clarified, "Meaning you have called off the marriage?"

"Yes," I whispered. My heart was being shredded inside, it **hurt**.

In an extremely cheery voice the woman exclaimed, "Aha! Then simply talk to the boy and sort it all out. Dear girl, I thought something _serious _had happened. Like you caught him with another woman or-"

That made me smile, "Peter? No, he'd never do that."

But an uncomfortable silence followed. We both had realized that Peter _had_ in fact gone with another woman during our relationship. That hideous, foul elf Marie had stolen Peter.

"Well," I cleared my throat and used a towel to wipe my eyes clean. "Thank you for your advice... But I just don't know if there is even a marriage to save anymore."

"Nonsense, he loves you. He'll take you back in a heartbeat."

I shook my head, "That's not what worries me. I mean... I could return to my own world at any moment. Just like that! Everything I have with Peter could just be gone in the blink of an eye."

"Speak with that lion," She stood up. "Legend has it that he controls your coming and going. I am sure that he will understand that true love must not be lost again."

Without even telling me her name, the woman walked away humming to herself. I sat there, my mind reeling and eyes red.

But then I smiled. If having a grandmother was anything like that.... I'd make sure to visit England when I returned home.

I sat there for a few more minutes, just trying to gather my thoughts, emotions, and feelings. My eyes returned slowly to normal and I made sure that my face was clean from tears again. I stood up and watched as the servants carried on with their business. None of them stared or watched me with pity. They simply granted me privacy and left me alone.

Just as I began to walk towards the sink to help with dishes, someone walked into the room calling my name.

"Makayla! Makayla, are you in here?"

Caspian looked handsome in his tunic and crown. He had obviously taken a bath, because his hair was no longer dull and tangled. The crown sparkled from the candles that hung throughout the room. His face was slightly flushed and his breath quick.

"Have you been running?" I questioned, amused. "Running from ladies I suppose. What have-"

"Makayla!" Caspian marched over and grabbed my arm, "Come."

I frowned and tried to pull away, "Where? Hey, you don't have to hold onto me like this!"

"Peter has told me of the threat," Caspian growled. "I need you to be out there with Susan, keeping track of her. I cannot remain at her side, I have too many people to shake hands and speak with."

"What about Peter?" I muttered, still bitter.

Caspian let go of my arm and then looked away. He said nothing.

That worried me. I touched his shoulder, "Caspian? What's wrong?"

"Peter..." The Telmarine cleared his throat and kept his eyes on the wall, "Peter is busy as well."

"Too busy to guard his own sister?" I scoffed, "I don't believe that. He wouldn't let anything stop him from-"

"The ladies will not leave him alone," Caspian cut in. He spoke rapidly, I had to strain to catch it all. "They crowd around him like vultures. And as soon as he manages to excuse himself from one, another takes her place. You know Peter, he does not know how to say no."

"He's letting women get in the way of protecting his sister?!" I screeched.

Caspian winced, "I knew you would be angry."

"Angry? I'm pissed off!" I yelled, making servants whip their heads from their work to me. "Are you kidding me? He is an absolute _idiot!_ How dare he!"

"Please," Caspian whispered, not wanting the onlookers to hear. "You may be angry later, for now we need to protect Susan."

I nodded and let him lead the way out of the kitchens. "Where is Edmund?"

"He has escorted Lucy to bed," Caspian answered. "He was guarding Susan though until just now."

"And Vicern?"

"In his fury, he has gone to the chambers where the elves are staying and checking for any suspicious weapons."

I bit my lip, "Is he allowed to go through their private things?"

Caspian raised an eyebrow, "If your love was in danger, would you let something like privacy stop you?"

"No," I grumbled. "Seems like I only ask stupid questions."

"What do you mean?" Caspian gave me a strange look, "That is not true at all."

"Have you seen Duke?" I quickly changed the subject.

"I assumed he was with you."

"Oh, he was. But he went off to help some men," I groaned. "I was hoping that he could keep me company throughout the night. I don't want to deal with politicians and nobles tonight."

Caspian laughed, "I have no choice in the matter."

"You are the new king," I reminded him. "People are bound to swarm you."

The sounds of an orchestra playing became louder and louder as we turned corners and eventually came to an archway. Just on the other side was the festivities.

I checked that my circlet still held up my loose hairs. Nerves filled my stomach and I couldn't help but pray that I wouldn't have to run into Peter tonight. Yes, I would talk to him about what had happened... But not yet. Right now, I needed to make sure that Susan was protected.

"Ready, your highness?" Caspian said calmly. He offered his arm.

I took it and nodded solemnly, "I don't have a choice."

We crossed the archway.

People moved out of the way, creating a spacious path for us to continue on. The Telmarines and their outfits dazzled me- so many colors! So much gold! Clearly, they were tied to the Spanish of my world. They just had to be. Women wore lovely gowns, made of bright silks and ribbons while men wore shiny and full tunics. Some wore hats, others jewels, and some even had thought to put small tiaras on their heads.

"Welcome to my culture," Caspian whispered into my ear.

"I still claim that you are Spanish, not Telmarine," I replied with a half smile. I was too nervous to fully joke around- where was Peter? I hadn't seen him at all.

Caspian had seen Susan before I had, because before I knew it he had changed direction and led us toward the dance floor. When we had reached the edge, I found Susan. She twirled around in the arms of a young and very attractive Telmarine man.

I had to laugh a bit, "It's a good thing Vicern isn't here."

"Oh, don't be alarmed," Caspian seemed equally amused. "That man is married and terribly in love with his wife. He must have seen that Susan was without company and offered her a dance."

Then we both saw another couple.

It was like being stabbed all over again with his sword.

Peter was dancing with a beautiful, graceful, and shining Telmarine young woman. Her black hair seemed to glow, her dress flattered her body in every angle, and her face had not a single blemish. She was an exotic beauty. Entrancing and alluring. I had to force my eyes to move away from her face and to Peter's.

He was smiling and staring at her.

The sword went straight through me again... Only this time through my heart.

The song came to an end, the couples on the dance floor bowed or curtsied to one another. Then Susan caught sight of us, thanked the man, and pranced over to us. Instantly, I knew that she had not been told about the threat against her. If she had, Susan would not have even come to the feast... She wasn't dumb, she wouldn't make her friends and family worry about her.

"Kay!" She grinned and hugged me. "Where on earth have you been? Not even Peter seemed to know!"

"Duke and I were helping in the kitchens," I answered, my voice no louder than a whisper. I was just glad that I could talk coherently.

She gave me a look of disbelief.

Before our conversation could continue, several Telmarine nobles approached and began to speak with Caspian. He was right, too many people wanted his attention tonight.

"I was thinking of going to my own room soon. Everyone just seemed to disappear... And suddenly you're here." Susan admitted, sounding a bit guilty.

"We can retire to bed," I desperately insisted. My voice was wavering and I could feel my face beginning to tense for a good cry. "I don't know about you, but I'm still exhausted. Plus, working in the kitchens isn't exactly relaxing or anything."

Susan looked tempted, but her politeness still overpowered her. "A-Are you sure? I mean, you just got here and-"

"You know I've never cared about these sorts of things," I waved my hand around and grabbed her hand. "Come on, I think an early night would be do us both some good. Please, let's just go."

Plus, she'd be safe in her locked chambers. And I could hide in my chambers from Peter.

See? Everyone wins!

"Alright..." Su gave in, cautious.

We quickly told Caspian our plans to retire and he winked at me knowing that I had just gotten out of babysitting. To reach the front hall and main staircase, we had to weave our way through the crowds of people. I kept my eyes peeled for any sign of Lady Niomee, but didn't find her. I wondered if she was somewhere in the grounds, planning her mischief.

When we actually were free of the feast and dancing, Susan and I began to climb the staircases up to the higher levels. No one was around, save for a servant or two who scurried by. The more distance I put between myself and Peter, the easier it was to breathe again.

"So," Susan gave me a serious look. "Why is Peter in a foul mood?" She asked, direct and straight to the point.

I replied timidly, "Couldn't you have led up to the question? Do you always have to be so blunt?"

Susan elbowed me playfully, "Just answer the question."

"We had a fight," I answered carefully. I didn't want to talk about it! It would only make me break down!

"Oh?" Susan raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," I mumbled, refusing to let her see my watering eyes. "I don't want to discuss it Su, please. Can we leave it alone?"

She picked up on my distress and backed off. She nodded and simply said, "Just talk to him about it tomorrow."

We reached our rooms and I reminded her to lock her door. Susan didn't question it and did as I asked. Only when I heard her door lock did I walk over to my own door. Just as I opened the door, I couldn't help but glance at the other across the hall.

Was Peter inside?

Was he just as upset as I was?

Did he even care about me anymore?

I mentally slapped myself. I needed to stop asking questions and just get some sleep. Closing the door behind me (and locking it) I quickly changed into a nightgown and crawled under the blankets.

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_Where am I?_

_The question seemed to float in air. I looked around and then shivered, wrapping my arms around my torso. I wore a simple green t-shirt and jeans, not warm enough for this cold dungeon._

_A cage trapped me in the small space. The bars were strong and dark, the metal hadn't even begun to rust yet._

_"Hello?" I called out, worried. What was I doing in a cell? "Is there anyone there?"_

_Silence._

_I walked up to the door of the cell and pushed it, ready to scream for help-_

_The door swung open soundlessly._

_What kind of jail was this? The doors didn't even lock!_

_"Hello?" I tried again, walking out and towards the stairway at the end of the hall of cells. Not a soul was around, only me. I walked up the stairs and still found nothing but cold and dark._

_I had no flame inside of me._

_I was truly alone and cold... And I didn't like it at all. The shivering continued, but slowly stopped as I came to ground level. Suddenly, I knew exactly were I was._

_Cair Paravel._

_Instantly, I took off in a run. Perhaps everyone was in the Great Hall, having lunch or having a ball. But why would they forget me? Why would they put me in a cell?_

_Better yet, where was Peter?_

_My footsteps seemed to be as loud as gunshots in the empty castle. No other sounds echoed off the walls, giving life to the castle. Something was wrong though... Cair Paravel seemed dead. The color and life of my home drained dry._

_Suddenly, I heard a giggle._

_I froze and waited._

_There! Another giggle!_

_It came from upstairs and I ran up the stairs, my breathing quickening. My jeans did not help ease my movement, but at least I had my tennis shoes on._

_Another giggle._

_I climbed up more stairs and then ran down a hallway. The giggles were louder now, closer. I didn't recognize the laugh, just knew it was a woman._

_"Susan?" I called out, "Lucy?"_

_The giggles increased._

_What was so funny? I cut a corner so fast that I nearly fell and hit the wall, but I managed to stay on my feet and avoid a sprained ankle. Why was I running so fast anyways? I slowed down a bit._

_The giggles continued._

_Suddenly, I felt anger and hatred. I didn't like the giggles one bit, I wanted them to stop. I was in the corridor of royal chambers now. I passed my door and stopped outside an all too familiar door._

_"Peter?" I knocked on the door._

_The giggle came from inside the room._

_I opened the door and swung it open._

_"Oh!" A woman giggled and looked up, an angelic expression on her face. She cuddled closer into a man's embrace and pulled the blanket over her naked body. She giggled, "Hello Princess."_

_And suddenly, the flame was back. But I didn't feint for transformation, I simply burned with power again. I ripped the door off its hinges and threw it towards the bed._

_"Marie!" I hissed, "Didn't you die?"_

_The door flew over the couple's heads. They both ducked and survived. Damn it._

_Peter jumped out of bed, thankfully he had pajama pants on. He looked furious, "Get out Kay!"_

_"How could you?" The anger was replaced with hard, cold depression. I fell to my knees and began to weep, "Y-You said you loved me!"_

_Peter crossed his arms and laughed, "How else was I supposed to get you into bed?"_

_"But... you didn't." I protested, sobs erupting from my throat._

_Marie stretched in bed, "You stupid girl. You didn't give him what he wanted and then he found me... I can give him what he wants. A man has needs you know."_

_"Shut up you whore!" I screamed, scrambling back to my feet. I ran towards her, but a body crashed into mine._

_Peter threw me against the stone wall. My head collided with the stones and my vision went black. I could feel my face pressed against the floor and my legs sprawled out._

_"I will never love you," Peter bent down and whispered. His voice was dark and amused. "You are nothing."_

_I managed to turn my head and look up. My vision was now blurry, but I could easily make out what was happening. Peter lifted a sword over my body and then thrust it down._

_I screamed._

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My body jumped up, sitting in bed on high alert.

My scream faded away into sobs as I realized it had all been a dream. No, not a dream... A nightmare. A sick, sick nightmare.

_Why?_

Why did I have to relive the ultimate betrayal? Why did Peter have to kill me _again_? And all because I couldn't give him my body...

I covered my mouth with my hand, trying to quiet my violent cries of pain. My whole body shook, my eyes squeezed shut trying to block out reality, and I wanted to just die.

I might as well.

_"Makayla..."_

My eyes flew open and I tried to see in the darkness. "A-Aslan?" I whispered, my voice trembling pathetically.

_"It is time..."_

And just like that, my pain ebbed away. Aslan's warm breath of life seemed to blow against my face. A calm that only a mother could provide overcame me... I felt nothing but peace.

"Time to go home?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

_"Yes..."_

"Lead the way," I slid out of bed and waited.

_"Close your eyes."_

I did.

And then silence was replaced with chaos.

"Nooooooooooooooooo!!" The scream sent shocks through my brain and body. I knew that voice!

"You four! Get back here!" A somewhat familiar voice yelled.

My eyes opened.

"Oh my god." Alyssa blinked at me, "You guys just vanished and then reappeared!"

My neck snapped right and I found myself staring at a pale Duke Steelings. He turned and said, "We're back."

"Yeah and those teachers are going to whip your butts!" Will snapped, "I don't know what the hell just happened but we need to get out of here!"

I looked over my shoulder. Teachers from my high school were running towards us with angry expressions. The rest of the student body watched with pure confusion and curiosity. The dance had come to a complete stop...

We ran for it.

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**A/N**

Don't forget to **review**.

And don't worry, this is **NOT** the end of the story. Peter and Narnia is **NOT** out of the story! So don't panic. I'm just adding a new twist!


	32. Chapter 31

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Chapter 31

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**Thank you!**

Thanks to everyone who took the time to review. I woke up and checked my inbox. Since I was sleepy, my eyesight was still a bit blurry so it looked like I had '1' message.

It was actually '17' messages! (15 were reviews)

So instead of sleeping in today, I thought, "I should update. These people are so excited!"

See?

Reviewsmotivationupdate

And just to clarify some confusion:

Alyssa was screaming 'No' because she didn't want Kay and Duke to go back to Narnia. It literally picks up from the scene in chapter 6.

Recap of Chapter 6:

_"Hey! Your four! Get back here!" A teacher shouted angrily. His voice was close- __very__ close._

_"Now or never Kayla." Duke smiled at me, his voice tender. We took a step and entered the doorway._

_The last thing I heard was Alyssa's scream, "NOOOOOO!"_

_Everything changed._

_Cars were replaced with shrubs._

_Buildings replaced with trees._

_Sidewalk replaced with grass._

_The forest of Narnia engulfed me. I was back..._

_And I wasn't alone._

_"Holy crap." Duke trembled, but he never let my hand go._

_Now enjoy:_

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The sight of Will's mustang was a relief. As soon as we were inside and driving away, I could breakdown.

For now... I was numb.

"W-What the hell is going on?!" Will looked crazed, his eyes were wide and face chalky white. "O-Oh my god, you guys are aliens!"

Alyssa grabbed the keys from her boyfriend's hand. "I'm driving, you need to just calm down. We'll explain."

The teachers were still giving chase, but we didn't care. We dove into the car and Alyssa sped off, tires screeching against the pavement below. Just as we turned at the end of the street and were out of sight, I screamed.

It was a scream of anger and frustration.

Will covered his ears, Alyssa winced, but Duke watched me with pity.

"O-Oh my god!" I screeched, my voice sounding like it belonged to an old hag rather than a young woman. "Aslan t-took me away... And I let him!"

Will spun around in his seat and pointed accusingly at us, "What just happened? You better tell the truth!"

Duke was rubbing his temples, trying to gather his thoughts. I couldn't believe how calm he seemed. I was sitting besides him the back seat hyperventilating, my body shaking in anger, and my eyes darting around frantically.

I was having another break down.

"We traveled to another world," Duke said seriously. He kept his eyes on Will, trying to come across as sincere as possible. "It's called Narnia. Kay went there last year, remember when she freaked out at the pizza party?"

Will said nothing, but his eyes narrowed. Clearly he didn't believe what he'd just heard.

Alyssa stepped in, "She totally freaked out because she'd been thrown into another world without warning. She lived there for years and then was put back into our world."

"Y-Years?" Will laughed like an insane person. Oh yes, he was clearly losing his mind too. That makes two of us. "Look at her! She's not a day older than eighteen!"

"The time flow is different. Years can pass in Narnia but it would only be a second here." Alyssa gasped, "Holy crap! How long were you there? Don't tell you both grew up-"

"Only for a few weeks," Duke answered. But he wasn't paying attention to the two in the front seat. He was scooting over and wrapping his arms around me. With his muscular arms he forced me onto his lap and held me there, murmuring, "Breathe... Breathe... We'll figure it out... It'll be okay."

I felt like I was in a coma. I could only sit and listen. The tears came and didn't stop for the entire car ride. Alyssa drove us to my house- only my parents would understand the circumstances.

My house looked just as ordinary and normal as ever. And yet, the people who lived inside lived extraordinary lives. How ironic.

Duke carried me inside, neither of us trusted my legs. My body seemed to shutting down. I couldn't even move anymore, I felt numb and limp.

My mom answered the door, "You're back early! What-"

She froze when she saw Duke and I. Her face tightened in shock, "N-Not again!"

Alyssa nodded.

Mom let us in without hesitation. Will didn't want to go inside, but Alyssa forced him. She ordered us to sit in the living room while she fetched dad from upstairs. We sat down and I stared blankly at the wall with photographs on it. Duke hadn't let me go, he kept me in his grasp on the sofa.

He gave a half-hearted chuckle, "Well... This is seriously deja vu."

"It's happening all over again," Alyssa nodded. "But this time Will is the only one who doesn't know."

Will ran a hand through his neat hair, messing it up. He took off his tuxedo jacket and threw it to the ground, pissed off. "You are all _insane._"

"Then why are you still here?" Duke snapped.

"Because _she,_" Will pointed at me. "Looks as if she is going to pass out any moment. I'm not going to leave a sick person in the care of crazy people."

Dad stormed into the room, "Makayla Steen!"

The rage in his voice brought me back to reality- **hard.**

I threw Duke's arms off me and jumped to my feet, my legs didn't collapse thankfully, and ran to my father. I cried into his chest as he held me, clearly upset too.

"Don't you dare tell me you went on another adventure in that wild land-" He growled.

"We didn't have a choice," Duke tried to sound confident. But suddenly I could hear his own voice faltering. "I-It just happened when we passed through a door."

"I've got the camera rolling," Mom squeaked.

Dad sighed deeply, "It scares me how much this reminds me of the first time."

"Will someone please explain already?!" Shouted Will, sounding frightened now.

I pulled away from my father and didn't bother to wipe my eyes or cheeks. I probably looked like a mess of snot and tears, but whatever. Nothing mattered. I had left Peter... Nothing mattered anymore.

"Whoa, whoa," Dad was holding me up. "Don't pass out."

"Peter..." I whispered, closing my eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"Oh honey, what happened?" Mom cooed. She walked up and kissed my head.

"I left him," I murmured, disgusted with myself. "I had a nightmare of him betraying me and in my anger, Aslan told me it was time to return and I accepted. I didn't fight for love Mommy, I just left him."

For the rest of the evening, I lay with my head in my mother's lap as she stroked my hair. Duke relayed our story and adventure to everyone, with much more sense and detail than I could have given. Occasionally, he would look at me for help and I would fill in gaps. We had been separated at times and therefore had slightly different stories to tell.

As the night carried on, my mind began to settle down and body calm down. I could feel my thoughts clearing and heart stop aching. The more Duke talked about Narnia and Aslan, the more I came to realize that this wasn't the end.

It couldn't be the end.

Aslan would never let this happen. He had to have a reason for tearing me away from Peter. And Susan was still in danger!

Yes, I would be depressed and upset, but I had hope...

"And I was helping these two men with bringing some firewood in from the storage room just outside the castle. They were friendly, asking me about my world and I asked them questions about their own culture. Nice guys, they were just astounded to learn that we could fly, but I tried to explain that planes don't exactly fly because of magic-"

I smiled sadly, "I learned that Narnians will never understand airplanes or cars. Don't even bother Duke."

A nervous laugh came from Will. I glanced over at him and watched as Will leaned back in his seat, still confused as ever. Besides him, Alyssa was holding his hand and whispering words of support. It was funny because last time, she had been the one who refused to believe.

"So anyways," Duke continued, already used to Will's noises. He mainly ignored them now. "I went back to the kitchens where Tilda told me that Kay had gone with Caspian to the feast. I didn't really want to be left out from the partying-"

Dad chuckled, "To be young again."

A male bond had formed between my father and Duke. I would never understand it.

"I went to the feast and looked for Kay," Duke gave me a playful glare, "But obviously she had found a way to get out of the festivities. Caspian told me that she and Susan had gone to bed. Well, I wasn't tired so I decided to have a good time."

"You partied like a rock star," Alyssa sighed. "Didn't you?"

"Hell yeah! I had a cape man. A freaking _cape!_" Duke grinned, "How often does that happen?"

"Where were you when Aslan sent us back?" I asked, curious.

"In the middle of the dance floor," Duke crossed his arms. "Horrible timing really because I was dancing with this _very_ hot Telmarine chick. I forgot what her name was but she had this body and-"

Dad coughed politely.

Sheepishly, Duke said, "Right, sorry. But yeah, I was dancing with her when out of nowhere I hear Aslan's voice in my hear. Poor girl, I actually was so shocked that I stopped dancing. She must have been so embarrassed and confused. I bet she feinted when I suddenly vanished from thin air!"

"Everyone saw you disappear," I sat up quickly. "Oh my god, Duke!"

"They must have thought I was a witch too," Duke frowned. "Or is that wizard? Wait, are there wizards in-"

"Was Peter still dancing?" I demanded.

"Uh, yes."

"Where was he when you were sent back?"

"Pretty close by," Duke scratched his head. "Why?"

"He must have seen..." I said thoughtfully. "He must have seen you get sent back, which means he knows I've been sent back too."

"Darling," Mom rubbed my back with her hand. "He knows that you still love him. A little fight like that means nothing-"

"I know," I nodded. "Really, I do. I'm just concerned that he thinks we'll never see each other again."

Nobody said anything for a few seconds. It was very awkward and I felt irritation rise in my chest.

Then Will said, "Wait, since when are you going to see each other again? I thought Aslan sent you home for good."

"Shut up!" I hissed.

Mom moved her hand to my shoulder and rested it there, "Kay..." Her tone was condescending.

I forced myself to take a deep breath, "Sorry. Look, I know that Peter and I are going to see each other again. We just have to. Aslan wouldn't send me home when Susan is still in danger and plus..." My cheeks went pink.

"What?" Alyssa prodded.

"Plus," I stared bashfully at the floor. "Peter and I didn't get married yet. Remember it had been Aslan who had urged Peter to pop the question."

"Good point," Mom agreed.

Dad cleared his throat, "I don't think so."

"Pardon?" I glared at my father.

He didn't even flinch. I may have been a trained warrior, but my father would never be frightened by me. In a stern voice he glared back, "This wedding will never take place."

"Excuse me?" I slammed my hand down.

"I have never even met this _boy_," Dad stated. "I will not let my young daughter, who is still in high school, get married!"

"He isn't a boy!" I shouted, "Maybe but in body, but he was a great King. He is one of the most mature, responsible, and kind men I have ever known-"

"And yet he killed you." Dad declared.

My jaw dropped.

Mom groaned, "Will you two just stop already. This is a _private_ conversation and we have guests-"

"I'll be in my room," I muttered as I stood up. Marching out of the room, I really wished that Stilden was here. He would know what to do.

Oh Stilden... We never said goodbye.

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A week had passed since that night.

It was Friday again and I was finally out of school, ready to spend some quality time at home. There was a party tomorrow night, but Alyssa had suggested we have a movie night instead. Will, who had finally believed when I displayed some combat moves on him, was going to join us.

We needed a break from the people at school anyways. The entire high school had been buzzing on Monday morning. All sorts of crazy rumors had spread- ridiculous explanations on why the four of us had ran away suddenly.

Only one rumor had caught my attention though.

People whispered that one of teachers was going to be fired because he was clinically insane. He insisted that Duke and I had vanished into thin air and then reappeared. The principal was under pressure from the school board to suspend the teacher until a therapist deemed him sane again.

Poor man, he only spoke the truth. The other teacher who had been chasing us had actually blinked the second we were gone... Talk about lucky.

People stared at me as I walked on the front lawn of the school. Students poured out of the building and towards the student parking lot. I ignored them as I dialed my cell phone.

On the third ring, Duke picked up. "Hello Princess."

"Hi Prince," I greeted. It was our inside joke now to refer to each other by title. People thought we were being cheesy... How wrong they were! "We're having a movie night, want to join?"

"Sorry..." He cleared his throat, "I actually have a, erm, date."

That took me by surprise. I was silent and stopped walking.

Was I jealous?

I took the moment to evaluate my reaction. Surprise... But a pleasant surprise. There was no twinge of pain in my chest, not a trace of irritation!

My tone was sincerely happy, "Good! Let me know how it goes."

Duke audibly let out a breath, "For a second there, I thought you were going to rip my throat out."

"Why?" I giggled as I continued on my way.

"I don't know, just was worried. So you're okay with this... Me going out with another girl?"

"Just as long as she's nice," I chastised, then groaned. "Ugh, I sound like your mother."

"Don't worry, it sounds sexy."

"Whatever you spoiled little Prince," I said as I got into my car. "Alright, I'll talk to you later. Let me know how the date goes!"

"Will do your highness. Bye."

We hung up and I listened to the radio as I drove home. It was easier this time around to fit back into my modern life and world. I didn't drag my feet or cry every second. Literally, I had just went back to life like nothing had ever happened. It was easy because I knew that it wasn't permanent, I'd be back in Narnia sooner or later. I had my hope.

And hope was a powerful thing.


	33. Chapter 32

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Chapter 32

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This chapter is a bit shorter, but I have the next chapter written on paper. All I need to do is find the type it all up, hopefully I'll get this done tomorrow because I don't have too much homework. Phew.

And I'm sorry for the delay for Chapter 31. I literally wrote it the day after I posted Chapter 30 but I wanted to make it even longer... And then I just got swamped with homework causing me to forget about uploading and posting it. I can be silly like that.

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"Kay?" Mom walked into the living room and hung her coat up. "What are your plans for tonight?"

"Movie night with Alyssa and Will- Crap!"

I had forgotten to ask ahead of time.

I gave Mom my best smile. "They're coming over here, is that okay?"

Dad then walked in. I turned around and faced the television again. I was currently not speaking to my father.

Sensing the tension, Mom sighed. She was tired of our refusal to speak- we were both stubborn. But she still said, "Sure that's fine."

I lay on the sofa in some sweats and shirt and watched TV until Alyssa and Will arrived. Yes, I was being lazy but I didn't really care. Homework could wait until Sunday and I didn't have anything else to do...

I would never have something to do again. I love my family and friends here, don't get me wrong. But my heart now knew what true love feels like... And I needed it. I needed HIM. Everything seemed so pointless now. All I did these days was wait for Aslan to call me back to Narnia. The waiting distracted me from everything and everyone around me.

I ended up falling asleep. I'm not one of those people who can watch TV for hours upon hours straight. Eventually, eyes just closed and refused to watch.

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"Is that drool?" Someone snickered.

"I think so. Ew."

"Wake her up."

"No you!"

I groaned, "I'm up already."

Opening my eyes, I saw Alyssa and Will leaning over and inspecting my face. They were grinning. Horrified, their words fully impacted me and I urgently wiped the corners of my mouth. Sure enough, they were wet.

"Well, that was flattering," Will joked.

"Oh be quiet," I muttered and sat up. "So what movies did you bring? We've already seen all of mine."

"We didn't bring any..." Alyssa grabbed my arm and attempted to get off the couch. "Come on, we're going to the party."

I frowned, "I thought _you_ didn't want to go."

She shrugged, "Yeah and then I heard that Lauren actually hired a DJ. She's having a legit party."

Lauren was another senior who was throwing herself an 18th birthday party. Her father did rather well and so the family had a larger home and upper-class lifestyle. I had thought it was just going to be a small little gathering of her friends... So I had honestly thought it would be lame.

But apparently not.

"How many people are going?" I asked curiously. A party sounded like a lovely distraction from my wallowing.

Yes, I admit it. I'm wallowing. I can't help it though, I miss Peter and the others. And waiting is just so _boring!_

"All the seniors basically and half the juniors." Alyssa made a face, "Thankfully she didn't invite any freshmen or sophomores."

"You're such a bully," Will elbowed her. "Don't discriminate! They're so cute and small and-"

"Cute? Ew." I shook my head at him. "Alright, let me go get dressed then."

It was then that I actually took the time to evaluate what my friends wore. Alyssa had a simple blue dress with pearl jewelry while Will wore a collared polo shirt and jeans that did not hang off his butt unlike half the male population at our high school.

"Mom!" I shouted, too lazy to actually go into the kitchen where she was making dinner.

"Yes?" She called back.

"I'm going out with Alyssa and Will instead!"

"Alright, be back before one o'clock!"

Great thing about my parents is that they trusted me to get home before curfew and behave responsibly. My sister had the trouble in getting them to allow her to go out... With me, they sort of already knew how to deal with a teenager. That was one perk of being the youngest child.

In my room I changed into purple dress that went down to my knees. It was cute and girly, but not revealing at all. I put on my makeup in record time, brushed my hair one last time, and went down the stairs in my very secure heels.

"It looks like you're going to a picnic," Alyssa teased.

I laughed, "Just be glad that I'm not in a medieval gown and crown!"

For the first time in the past week I felt excited and happy. The heavy burden of always keeping an ear open... always searching for a sign of magic... always on guard and ready to leave this world.... Well, all that didn't matter right now. Not tonight, tonight I needed to breathe.

Tonight I needed to _live_.

Mom shouted a goodbye as she heard us open the front door. Dad didn't even bother saying anything, he knew I would just ignore him. I got my stubbornness from him anyways! Will drove us in his mustang again. I sat in the back, staring out the window. Homes, businesses, street lights, sidewalks, and cars passed by.

I missed Narnia. I missed the forests, castles, and animals. Now that I knew Narnia, I didn't feel at home here anymore. Modern technology was superficial, it made humans take everything for granted. And we were arrogant beings, thinking ourselves better than the animals! If only people here could meet the Narnians!

"Damn, there's no parking!" Will whined as we turned onto a street. Cars lined both sides of the road and a few teenagers stood throughout the darkness. One house in particular stood out from all the other large homes- the windows shone brightly and the silhouettes of partying people were clear. I couldn't hear the music until Will rolled down the window.

"I guess I'll just have to park in my driveway," He sighed.

That made me sit up straight.

"What?!" I gaped.

To my surprise, Will turned left and into the driveway of a slightly larger home across the street from Lauren's house. Alyssa didn't even seem to notice, she was already unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Y-You're rich?" I gaped.

Will shrugged, "My dad's CEO of a major business and mom is a lawyer."

I looked at Alyssa, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It never came up," She got out of the car gracefully while I nearly tripped after her.

"Well thank you for being so honest!" I sighed, "Money isn't everything... I wouldn't have freaked out."

"True," Will laughed as he shut his door. "You did live in a castle- my house doesn't even compare."

I rolled my eyes.

We didn't even bother to ring the doorbell, we simply walked in. The party was in full swing, with people crowding every room of the house... I didn't even want to think about upstairs.

A pretty redhead spotted us as we walked into the living room where furniture had been cleared to make room for a DJ and a small dance floor. It was jammed pack, I had to push my way through to say hello to Lauren.

Her face was flushed from dancing and as soon as she spoke, I realized she'd been drinking. "Hi guys!"

"Hi," I gave a little wave. Alyssa stepped forward to hug Lauren as they were actually friends. I just knew Lauren through Alyssa. Will simply nodded to the hostess, obviously not knowing the girl that well either.

"Have sooooome fun!" Lauren pointed to another doorway that lead to what I assumed was a kitchen. "The drinks are in there."

Slurred words... Oh boy.

"Alright, thanks!" Alyssa grabbed Will's hand and led the way. She was obviously marking her man in front of the many drunk girls that danced slowly and inappropriately a few feet away.

I missed ballroom dancing.

We entered the kitchen and before I could even examine the room, a huge body blocked my view. "KAY!"

I looked up and found myself in front of a very tall boy. He was from my math class... Shoot, I forgot his name.

"Hello," I smiled and took a step back. He stood too close for comfort. "How are you?"

"I'm great," He lifted a beer. "Especially with this stuff."

"That's... nice."

"What's up Dave?" Will suddenly distracted the boy. The two shook hands in greeting. "You drunk already man?"

Well, that's my cue to leave.

I slid past and approached the table full of drinks. It was mostly covered with alcohol, but I managed to find an unopened soda. Too bad there wasn't wine! But then again... modern teenagers didn't exactly have that sort of taste.

"Aww, not drinking?" Alyssa frowned my choice in beverage. She held a glass that I knew had vodka in it.

"No thank you," I shook my head. "I prefer wine."

"Do you realize how snobby you sound right now?"

I chose not to answer her.

The night was fun enough, with the exception of being hit on by two drunk college students. Apparently they were friends of Lauren's older brother. Lovely.

I lost track of Alyssa and Will, they had disappeared in the crowd with a strange bounce in their walk. Obviously they were drunk, or at least tipsy. Seems like I would be driving us home later.

At the moment, I leaned against the wall of the dining room. The table had been covered in cups, drinks, bottles, trash, snacks, and things I didn't want to know about. People mainly ignored me, which was fine, because I didn't feel like talking about the latest couple, celebrity news, sports game, or even about college. I preferred to simply stand there, watching and observing.

It was incredible how childish and immature some people are. It's scary because in a few months we would all (except for the 'cool' juniors who had managed to be invited) be thrown into the real, adult world. Some people would get a big slap in the face... Reality is painful.

A girl I had never spoken, but vaguely recognized, approached me suddenly. "Hey, you know about midnight?"

I frowned, "No...?"

"At midnight we're singing happy birthday to Lauren, since it's technically the start of her 18th."

"Alright, thank you."

"No problem," She continued on her way, most likely to tell other people.

I glanced down at my watch. 11:57 PM

Did I want to be inside when a massive crowd of drunk teenagers attempt to sing a song for an equally drunk girl?

Not really.

So I moved towards the back of the house, moving against the crowd. People were making their way to the front rooms, trying to get as close to Lauren as possible. Me? I just wanted to get to the backyard!

Eventually I got out, even when people said I was going the wrong way. I pretended not to hear and continued until I was standing outside in an impressive garden. Lauren's family had hired a landscaper, because the garden looked too perfect to be from a CEO or lawyer's imagination.

And suddenly, I began to cry.

I don't know why... Maybe the garden reminded me of Cair Paravel's gardens. Or maybe the sky reminded me of Stilden's legends of the star constellations. Or perhaps it was realization that I did not fit in with everyone around me.

The tears blurred my eyes and I did my best to wipe them away. But they kept coming and soon I felt as if my chest was collapsing inside. One by one, pieces of me fell and died. My heart was last... It tried to hold on desperately, but before I knew it, I was on the floor, my back pressed against a pot with some flowers growing out of it.

"Happy Birthday to you..."

_'My darling Kay...'_

"Happy birthday to you..."

_'I love you...'_

"Happy birthday dear Lauren!"

_'... my Queen.'_

"Happy birthday to you!"

The sobs shook my body violently and I suddenly wished I had stayed home. There was nothing that could distract me from this pain... From the pain of dying of a broken heart.

I was losing hope.


	34. Chapter 33

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Chapter 33

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This chapter changes everything.

Muhahaha.

I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO POST THIS DAYS AGO!

But fanfiction would NOT let me sign it. It said they were having technical problems! So I would say sorry, but it's not my fault. Honestly.

REVIEW!

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"Do you ever wonder why it happened to us?"

I looked up from my book. Mom's question was random and unexpected. Even Dad appeared surprised at the sudden end to the silence. We sat at the dining room table, eating breakfast and reading like a perfectly normal American family.

Well, we weren't exactly _normal_.

It was Monday morning, the weekend had finished slowly but surely. I had driven Alyssa and Will back to my house, where we spent the night in the living room. That morning they had groaned and suffered horrible hangovers... To my amusement. My parents on the other hand, weren't smiling. But thankfully, they didn't tattle to my friends' parents.

Saturday I did all my homework and read. Sunday I slept and read, never leaving my room except for bathroom trips and meals. Sure, I was being lazy... But I didn't care to do anything. All I could do was cry, even if I knew how pathetic I was.

"Honey, why us?" Mom sighed and took a drink from her coffee.

"I don't know," I replied honestly. My voice sounded rough, I hadn't spoken this past weekend much. Dad still refused to even say hello to me and I refused to look at him. And Mom had been busy with errands and some work, so I hadn't talked with her either. "I believe that Aslan has a plan for us."

"A lion pretending to be God," Dad grumbled and returned his eyes to his newspaper. "Just fantastic."

I wanted to roll my eyes, but refrained. Dad was a devout Catholic and didn't like the fact that Aslan seemed to be God in Narnia. I guess Dad thought Aslan was a threat to his Lord. I'm not religious, like Mom, but I respected Dad's opinion.

Suddenly, Mom slammed her hand on the table. The glass plates rattled, Dad jumped in his seat, and my body tensed defensively.

"I will **not** lose you again Makayla Steen!" Mom shouted. I gaped at the woman across the table. I had never seen her so outraged! Sure, we've had our fights and arguments... But she never turned physical. Ever. Mom was cool-headed, something that I did _not_ inherit, only my sister did.

"He's just a boy! Your _first_ boyfriend, your _first_ love. He's just a phase-" Mom snapped.

I stood up quickly, knocking my chair back onto the floor. It landed with a loud 'thud' but I barely heard it. My fury made my ears ring, "You're _wrong!_"

"Don't you raise your voice at me-" Mom stood up too.

"I'm not a _child!_"

"Yes, you _are!_"

"I am not! I'm older than Kate! She's your eldest and you treat her as an adult... Why the hell am I still treated like a baby? You know I've been through things that you will _never_ understand. Wars... Losing everyone you love..."

"Stop being so dramatic-"

"I **died.**"

Mom's mouth shut at that and the blood left her face. A stunned silence followed, even Dad looked sickly pale.

"Y-You have no... _idea_ what that did to me. Dying makes you appreciate every _single_ second you have. It makes you fight for what you love," I said lowly. "And I love Peter, truly and deeply."

"He's just a first love," Dad's voice said. For the first time since our fight, he spoke directly to me. His face was still pale, but the fierce gleam in his eyes proved he was angry. "There will be other loves in your life... I had been in love before I met your mother. Everyone goes through a first love, it's part of growing up!"

"I did go through a first love, it ended when I died!" I shook my head furiously, "He broke my heart... I even began to move on when I came back to Duke. But I went back and fell in love again, I know this is _it. _He is the one."

And then, a honk sounded.

Alyssa was here, ready to drive me to school. I sighed tiredly, too exhausted to even shout. All the crying and depression had drained me of energy, despite the constant naps and sleeping. I didn't want to argue with my parents. I loved them... But I wasn't happy here, not in this world.

Just as I grabbed my backpack and walked out of the room, I heard my father let out a deep breath and say, "We just want you to be happy Dolphin."

My feet paused, but then I continued walking.

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"I practiced all night!" Will grinned, obviously very pleased with himself.

I on the other hand, merely nodded. "Did you hit the target?"

Ever since Will had been told about Narnia, he wanted to learn archery. Modern bows and arrows are different, but I knew enough basics to satisfy him. Too bad Susan was not here, she would have made an excellent teacher.

Will punched my arm, annoyed. "Yeah, I _did_ actually."

"Wow," Alyssa smiled. "That's impressive... But Duke hit the target in his first hour of archery-"

"Oh, well excuse me," Will grumbled.

Alyssa and I shared wicked grins. The three of us walked down the corridor towards the senior lockers.

"I submitted my last college application!" Alyssa announced, her face beaming. "I'm glad that I'm finished... Those things were torture."

"I finished them two weeks ago," Will commented.

They both turned to me, expecting my answer. I shrugged, "I finished too... But I only applied to two schools."

"**What?!**" They shrieked, but their reaction didn't surprise me. For years I've been preparing for college and made plans to apply to at least six or seven universities. But honestly, I just did not _care._ No one would understand... They just thought I was stupidly love sick!

"Don't bug me about this," I pleaded as we came to my locker. "My parents are giving me enough crap."

Thankfully, my friends listened for once. With worried, but relatively calm faces, they continued walking towards their own lockers. I put books and took some out. Just standing here, in the midst of modern teenagers and a plain hallway, I felt... alien. Foreign.

"Hey, Kay?" Someone tapped my shoulder.

Turning, I found a junior from the water polo standing in front of me. She was a small girl, but an absolute shark in the water. I smiled, "Hi."

"You can leave your physics book in your locker," She said nicely. "We have an assembly after first period remember?"

"Oh, we do?" I blinked, surprised. "Okay thanks."

She waved and skipped away. What a happy child... I put my physics book back, a bit paranoid now. Were people always paying that close attention to me? Strange. The walk to English was a short one, so I arrived a few minutes before the bell. STudents sat on desks and chatted, some crowded around magazines and gossiped.

Me? I sat down in my desk _chair_ and began to read.

Thirty seconds before the bell rang, Will strolled into the classroom. He and Alyssa always waited until the last minute, but they were never late. I had no idea how they did it.

He took his usual seat in the desk to my right and said, "Hear about the assembly?"

"Yes," I put my book down politely. "Do you know what it's about?"

"Apparently some cops are coming in to talk about internet safety," Will grinned. "The parents suggested it to the school board."

"Fantastic," I groaned.

English class began and soon ended. I never seemed to keep track of time in school... It was all so mundane and simple anyways. As a class we walked to the auditorium. Masses of students trickled in and the loud buzz of talking hit my ears. Usually it wasn't _this_ loud...

"Ohmygosh!" A girl bounced up and down in excitement besides me. "Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" Will asked, curious. I gave the girl a strange look, she couldn't have been older than 15. A prime age for gossip.

"There's a total _hottie_ on campus!" She giggled, "Everyone is talking about it. Apparently he was going around to random classrooms and looking for someone. The cops and teachers are trying to find him... He's not a student!"

"How random," I laughed and looked at Will. "So much for learning about internet safety. Seems like the cops are busy."

Will rolled his eyes, "I bet it's just a guy from the other high school across town looking for his girlfriend. My friend did that once after he got into a fight with his girl."

"Isn't high school wonderful?" I joked.

The girl gave me a funny look before bustling away. Will led the way and chose seats near the front of the auditorium, seniors usually got seat priority. As we sat down, Will saved a seat for Alyssa who find us soon enough.

"It's good to see you lighten up," He remarked casually. "You've seemed really... down lately."

"What do expect?" I crossed my arms.

A few minutes later, Alyssa plopped herself down in the empty seat. She looked amused.

"What's up?" Will put his arm around her shoulders.

"Hear about the rogue on campus?"

"Yeah." Her boyfriend answered, "Crazy huh?"

People laughed, gossiped, and flirted all around me. They were childish to me now, being so ignorant of pain... loss... war... politics. They were all so young! So innocent! I sank in my seat, wishing that I was in my bed again, shut away from this world.

A stout woman walked onto on the stage and looked annoyed. She was a stern principal who had many years of experience with dealing with high school students. But for the first time, Mrs. Yule did not appear confident and in control. She seemed anxious.

"Students," Mrs. Yule fidgeted with the microphone, "There is a situation on campus. We ask that everyone remain calm and seated until we receive news that it is safe to exit."

Instantly, everyone began to speak. I merely looked at my friends in surprise... The trespasser was dangerous?

Things got boring, I had lost interest in what Will and Alyssa spoke about. I couldn't text Duke for entertainment, the teachers would confiscate my cell phone upon sight. Plus, I had left my book back with my things in the classroom. So, I slid down in my seat, pulled my jacket's hood over my eyes, and readied for a nap. But I couldn't sleep. There was too much noise around me.

I was used to peaceful silence- or listening to nature. I could hear waves crash onto the beach from my bed in Cair Paravel. I could hear the whispers of owls as they glided high above in the skies. I could hear the fauns and nymphs sing and play lullabies.

Here?

I heard how Josh had hooked up with Natalie at the party and now his girlfriend was pissed.

How lovely...

"Hey, Kay died." I heard Will say jokingly. He poked me, but I ignored it.

"With anyone else, I would laugh at the joke... But that's not funny." Alyssa murmured. "Not with Kay."

She was right, joking about me dying wasn't funny. I have died. I have passed on.

"Oh..." Will coughed, "I forgot. Sorry."

"It's okay," I changed the subject, "So when do you think they'll start the-"

A horn blew.

Every part of my body reacted. Legs sprung into action, charging me to my feet. Arms tensed and hung at my sides ready to fight. Eyes narrowed and searched the auditorium

It blew again.

"Alyssa," I hissed. "It's Susan's horn!"

And to my utter horror, Alyssa answered, "I know... I heard it too."

For a split second, I honestly thought that some new adventure would begin. That it was my time to return to Narnia- but Alyssa would come too.

But I was wrong.

Well, partially at least.

Everyone had heard the horn, there was no magic to it. No one had been singled out to hear it, all were greeted by the sound of the infamous Narnian horn of Queen Susan. People stood up, confused. Some merely froze in place and looked about the auditorium, clearly puzzled. Teachers glanced at one another nervously, unsure of what to do next.

Only three people moved.

I dashed to the end of the row of seats, pushing against people's legs forcefully, to get to the aisle. Alyssa sprang up and ran after me. Will stayed put, looking very bewildered at our behavior... And he seemed a bit frightened too.

The third person to move caught everyone's attention. There, running onto the stage was the trespasser. He breathed heavily, out of breath from running so much. His clothes were strange and made people gasp. I paid no attention to his clothes though, my eyes went from the familiar horn in his hand to his face.

"_Edmund_?" I gaped.


	35. Chapter 34

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**Chapter 34**

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I am tired of school.

I want summer.

NOW.

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We made eye contact.

He blinked.

I blinked.

And then we ran at the same time. We ran as if our lives depended on it... He jumped off the stage and onto the floor fluidly, his muscles rippling. I sped down the aisle way, oblivious to the strange looks and gasps from my classmates. They didn't matter. All that mattered was Edmund. I only saw him... And then I felt him. We embraced, tears came to my eyes immediately and naturally. His arms squeezed around my torso tightly, afraid that I would disappear in the blink of an eye. Again.

"W-What..." I breathed deeply and hurriedly, I couldn't even think straight.

"There's no time!" Ed pulled away, but not completely. He kept his hand tight around my wrist, ready to drag me away. "There are dangerous people after me, they have guns-"

"STOP!" A new voice shouted. I looked up at the stage as two tired police officers ran into view. One was a woman, she seemed to be windswept, because her hair had fallen out of a once neat bun. Her partner, a rather chubby fellow, appeared ready to pass out. I didn't blame him... Catching a trained solider who probably had at least 20 years more experience was hard. Really hard.

"YOU!" The woman slid off the stage, unable to jump it. She was awkward as she walked up, probably sore or aching. "Hands behind your back-"

Then, my mind cleared. All shock wore off. Adrenaline pumped through me as a familiar emotion overwhelmed me: loyalty. I was ready to defend my friend, no one would touch him. "Wait!" I stepped in front of Edmund, pulling my wrist free. I lifted my arms up and said, "We can explain-"

"Y-You... k-know... him?" The man wheezed.

"Yes," I nodded. "He's my cousin."

"Why the hell did you run kid?" The woman leaned against one of the aisle seats, the senior sitting in it look afraid that she would fall onto him from exhaustion.

"You're trespassing," Her partner growled, his voice gaining strength. Their breathing evened out now and their tiredness was quickly becoming anger.

"Why are you here Edmund?" I turned to him, "You're a long away from England."

Ed gave me a pained look, "I know. I'm... _very_ far from home right now. But we have a family emergency."

Before I could ask what he meant, someone tapped my shoulder. I faced the stage again and found Mrs. Yule glaring harshly at me. She was a few inches shorter than me, so I had to look down at her, but her size didn't keep her from trying to intimidate me. I didn't even flinch.

"What." She hissed, "Is. The. Meaning. Of. This!"

"Family emergency," Ed came to my side and pulled on my arm, wanting me away from the furious woman. "I'm terribly sorry if I've caused any disruption but-"

"Disruption?!" My principal screeched. "You've put the entire campus on lockdown you idiot!"

"Hey!" I snapped, but then realized my temper was getting the better of me. I needed to be calm right now... Calm Kay. Deep breath. "Please, this is my cousin. He says there's an accident, can we go outside? Somewhere _private_?" I motioned around us. Every single high school student, teacher, and staff member had edged forward in their seats, trying to catch what was being said. I would never hear the end of this.

When Mrs. Yule didn't answer, I grabbed Edmund's hand and led the way out of the auditorium. We walked around Mrs. Yule and the two officers, who slowly followed us. Glancing over my shoulder, I looked at Alyssa.

She was ghostly pale, all blood had drained from her face. Her eyes weren't on me though, she was staring at Edmund. Then, as if feeling my gaze, she turned her eyes to me. I sent her a meaningful look and then mouthed, 'Follow' to her. I saw her snap out of her reverie and nudge Will, who looked very confused. I knew they'd be right behind the officers.

The sun was shining today. It was a beautiful, serene day actually. As we stepped out into the sunlight, my eyes blinked furiously, trying to adjust to the sudden change in lighting.

"Explain yourselves," Mrs. Yule snapped the instant we were outside. "We are about ready to arrest this _cousin_ of yours for trespassing and running from the police!"

"I'm so sorry," Edmund groaned. "How was I supposed to know they were police? All I knew was two strangers with large guns were running after me for no reason!"

"You're trespassing," The woman officer said simply.

"I apologize," Ed said calmly. I had no idea how he did it. He was in the future- he had traveled time! And yet he seemed perfectly at ease. I guess all those years of politics and world jumping had made him immune to shock. I on the other hand... I wanted to just pass out. "I was just so desperate to find Kay-"

"What's the family emergency?" I demanded, my heart pounding. Oh Aslan, what if someone was hurt... What if someone had died?! Was Peter okay?

Edmund looked at me and something in his eyes made me want to just collapse. There was pain in those eyes. "It's... Aunt Susan."

Oh no. Susan!

"Is she okay?!" I grabbed her shoulders, "What happened?"

"She's... missing." Ed's voice trembled. "Uncle, erm.... Uncle Peter is trying to find her, we think we know who did it."

"What in the world-" Mrs. Yule began.

I ignored her, "Who?"

"Her... uhh..." Ed fumbled for words, "Her Neighbor! Her neighbor, Niomee."

My jaw dropped. Lady Niomee had kidnapped Susan?! How? When?

"This is ridiculous!" Mrs. Yule shouted, "You expect us to believe-"

Edmund spun around and just looked at the upset woman. She shut up immediately. I knew why... There was no arguing against a King. His aura of authority overwhelmed hers. The tears that fell from his eyes were real. The utter and completely devastating pain on his face did not lie.

"Oh," She said stupidly.

I began to cry, loudly. Suddenly, the three adults looked panicked.

"We'll need to call headquarters and see what we can do about the missing woman-" The male officer started.

"No need," Edmund cut in. He wiped the tears off his face, and cleared his throat. "Our local police back in England are handling the situation. There's nothing you can do here, thank you. Uncle Peter sent me to bring Kay back home though, her parents too."

"We need to get home," I realized. Just then, the door of the auditorium swung open and Alyssa and Will appeared. Behind them, I could see a part of the sea of students as they gossiped. Most tried to peek outside as the door opened, but they disappeared from view as soon as the hinges closed. "Alyssa, we need you to drive us to my house."

"Why? What's wrong?" She asked, also ignoring the adults.

"It's my Aunt Susan... She's in trouble. I'll explain in the car!" I began to walk in the direction of the student parking lot. But a hand grabbed my arm, stopping me.

"I don't think so young lady," Mrs. Yule shook her head. "You're not going anywhere. We'll need to call your parents to come pick you up-"

"MY AUNT IS MISSING!" I screamed at her. "Someone in my FAMILY could be DEAD! Don't you dare try to stop me."

I yanked fiercely, and pulled free. I looked at the others, "Come on!"

We ran for it.

The police didn't even try to follow. Mrs. Yule did though, but her short legs didn't get her far.

Alyssa jumped into the driver's seat and wasted no time. Immediately, she got the car running and driving out of school property. "Okay, what the hell is going on?!" She screeched, sounding scared.

"Who are you?" Will asked his own question, pointing to Edmund from where he sat in the passenger seat.

"Edmund. Who are you?"

"Will."

The boys studied each other silently. Alyssa groaned, "You've got to be kidding me. Edmund? As in Edmund from Narnia?"

"I'm not from Narnia," Ed frowned. "I'm from this world too."

Alyssa snorted, "Yeah. But in the what? Medieval Times?"

And then I realized what was happening. I was sitting right besides Edmund, someone who I thought I would never see again. I couldn't stop myself from jumping across the back seat and hugging him like there would never be a tomorrow. I just couldn't help it.

"I missed you!" I pushed my face into the space between his shoulder and face. His neck was warm and comforting.

He let out a sigh, but one full of content. He put his arm around my shoulders, "I know, we've missed you. All of us."

"What happened?" I asked, my voice low. I was afraid of the answer.

Edmund looked nervously at the two people in the front of the car, "Maybe... we should wait until later."

"They can be trusted," I assured him.

"Should we wait for your parents?" He said wisely.

I groaned, "You're right... But I don't know how much longer I can stand. What the hell has happened? Please, just quickly, say what's going on."

"Susan went missing the night you and Duke went home," Ed's voice cracked. He wanted to cry, but his incredible determination didn't let it happen. He kept his face straight, but the muscles were tight and rigid. "Her room was messy, something Susan would never do. Obviously she had put up a struggle-"

"How do you know it was Niomee?" I demanded.

"Who else would do such a thing?" Ed snorted. "Who else would be stupid enough to think that Vicern would leave the love of his life? Niomee must have realized that we knew it was her though, because she was nowhere to be found. A few other elves are missing too, they're known to be close friends of hers."

"So she had help in this evil plot," I muttered. "What has been done to find Susan?"

"Peter and Vicern are leading a massive search team to scour Narnia for her. We actually discovered that you were gone after they left..."

My mouth fell open slightly, "S-So... Peter doesn't know that..."

"Not at first," Ed shook his head slowly. "But I rode out not too long after he. I caught up with him the next morning and told him that you and Duke had returned home."

I couldn't speak. I couldn't even imagine Peter's reaction. The car went silent, nobody seemed to know what to say. I tore my watery eyes away from Edmund pulled myself away from him, and returned to my side of the backseat. I pressed my forehead against the window and watched as the modern world flew by.

"Where is Aslan?" I asked quietly.

"No one knows. He's disappeared."

My eyes shut, defeated. How could this all be happening? Everything had fallen apart... Morosely, I dialed my parents' phone numbers.

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"This is your home?" Edmund sounded surprised.

I nodded, "Yes."

"It's... very American." The British boy said quietly. We got out of the car and I watched as he took in the modern, American neighborhood. His eyes were wide and if circumstances were not as dire as they were, I would have laughed. Edmund looked confused, excited, and frightened. As we walked up to my front door, I heard him mutter, "Bloody hell, this is one strange future."

"A lot changes in 70 years," I told him. My father's car was in the driveway, but my mother had yet to return. Dad worked only a short drive away from the house, so I wasn't surprised to see that he'd made it before us. School was a good ten to fifteen minutes away. Mom would probably get here in ten minutes after us.

My father opened the door before I even had a chance to lift my key into the lock. His eyes were wide and alert, obviously he was worried. "What on earth is going on?" He asked me.

"Something very strange," I pointed to the fourth person in my party. "This is Edmund."

Dad's eyes followed my finger and landed on the well-built and tall young man. His eyes narrowed, "Is this a joke? I had to leave work-"

"We need to take this inside," I said hurriedly. "This isn't a joke. I wish it was, but it's not."

Dad stepped back and let us inside, his eyes watching Edmund's every movement.


	36. Chapter 35

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**Chapter 35**

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Hurrah! Another chapter!

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We all sat at the dining room table. My parents sat the heads, Will and Alyssa on one side, leaving me and Ed on the other. There was only one thing on the shiny wooden top of the table: a laptop. Mom had wisely suggested that we film everything. She wanted records of anything that had to do with Narnia. Everyone was looking at Edmund, waiting for him to explain.

My dad had stopped being so cold towards Edmund when he realized that this was not a prank. Both my mother and father had nearly passed out when they realized the gravity of the situation. A boy from 70 years in the past had traveled into our world from a magical land. These sort of things would make anyone pass out.

Thank goodness having a daughter world-travel had prepared them for anything. No matter how crazy it seemed.

"It was about an hour after you and Susan went to bed," Edmund began. He looked at me, but then politely glanced his eyes at the rest of his audience. "Peter was dancing with another Telmarine jewel." He paused, "She seemed friendly enough, but obviously the fact that her dance partner meant nothing because she kept rubbing her fingers up and down his-"

I cleared my throat. My fingers rolled in to make a fist under the table.

"Sorry," My friend amended. "Anyways, Peter had enough. He politely excused himself, leaving that woman very offended. I had been dancing with a nymph when he appeared and said he was going to check on you and Susan. Honestly, I think he just wanted to go apologize or maybe just watch you sleep-"

It was Dad who cleared his throat this time. He didn't look very happy.

Ed raised his eyebrow at that, surprised by my dad's less-than-pleased reaction to this. But, he went on with his tale, "I don't know how long it was, maybe a few minutes, when Peter came running into the Great Hall. He didn't want to alert anyone so he gathered up me, Caspian, Vicern, some of the centaurs, and a few other trusted men. Peter alerted us that Susan's door had been smashed open. Her room was a mess and some of the furniture had been overturned and broken. We knew that Susan would have defended herself, she put up a good struggle... Which tells us that it was either someone of great fighting skills or a large number of kidnappers.

Caspian was going to go after her with some of the Telmarine army, but Vicern wouldn't allow it. He pointed out that the kidnappers were probably bitter Telmarines and therefore could be anyone in the army. Only the Narnians could be trusted in getting their Queen back. But Vicern wouldn't even take any of the elves- we all knew that Lady Niomee had friends throughout the Elvin population. It was too risky to trust them. So, Peter and Vicern led a large group of Narnians throughout the country. They split up and spread word, with the help of the nymphs and birds, to all in Narnia. But even with the whole country looking, it's almost as if they've disappeared."

"Have you checked the mountains?" I wiped my eyes. They were burning, wanting to let loose tears... But I was sick and tired of crying. Tears did absolutely nothing! Susan needed courage, not tears.

"Yes, Vicern checked the entire Elvin city and its tunnels. They're not there."

"The Western Woods?"

"Yes."

"The Shuddering Wood?"

"Yes, and Owl Wood."

"What about Aslan's How? She might think you would not check there."

"Peter thought that too," Ed sighed. "But those tunnels are empty and partly collapsed because of the battle."

Suddenly, the front door of the house opened. Nobody got up though, we all knew it was Duke. He was the only other person besides Alyssa who had a spare key to the house. Sure enough, a moment later Duke walked into the room. He was wearing his usual jeans, shirt, and leather jacket. But his hair was soaking wet, covered by a beanie.

"What's the big emergency... Holy shit!" Duke gaped at Edmund. He stood there, flabbergasted, unable to speak.

Ed stood up and pushed his seat back. Slowly, he walked over to Duke and extended his hand out, "Nice to see you again Duke."

I guess that Edmund speaking convinced Duke that this was reality, not a dream. Without warning, he ignored Ed's hand and went for a manly hug, slapping Edmund's back with his hand. "How are you man? How the hell are you here?"

They started to laugh, Ed returning the embrace. "I haven't gotten there yet in my story."

"Oh," Duke went over to the kitchen and got a stool from our breakfast bar. He placed it besides me at the table, "What have I missed?"

"Peter was dancing with some slut and then goes to check on Susan and Kay," Will piped up. "Comes back all freaked out because Susan's been kidnapped. Peter and Vicern lead a mini army of Narnians to find her."

Duke's face went from happy to bewildered. "What the fuc-"

"Language!" Mom snapped.

"-Fudge," Duke finished lamely. "Kidnapped? How the hell did she kidnapped? I thought you said her door was locked Kayla-"

"It was, the door was bashed open," I said softly. "I should have told her about the threat and slept in the room with her, just to be on the safe side. I was so _stupid._ I left her all alone, thinking that I would have heard if she was in trouble-"

"You were having a nightmare," Mom interrupted me. Her voice was quiet and gentle, obviously trying to soothe me. "I know better than most, you will sleep through anything when you're having a nightmare. I have to shake you so hard to get you to wake up. There's no way you would have heard through a castle's stone walls."

"She's right," Alyssa nodded. "So don't you start!"

"Start what?" I mumbled.

"Saying that it's your fault. Because it's not."

"But-" I protested.

"Kayla," Duke put his hand on my shoulder. "Look at me."

I did.

His eyes were just as beautiful, but they weren't shining. Instead, a dull sort of pain had come into them, but they were still kind. "It's _not_ your fault."

I didn't agree, but I nodded anyways so we could move on with conversation. Duke didn't believe my nod for a second, but let it slide.

"How long has it been in Narnia since we left?" Duke asked, curious. "It couldn't be more than a year! You look exactly the same age!"

"It's been a month."

Silence followed after this statement. Part of me was relieved, because it hadn't been years which meant Peter didn't have to go through life _again_ with a broken heart. But part of me was horrified to know that Susan had been missing for that long.

"How long has it been here?" Ed peered at me.

"A little over a week," I answered.

"Strange... Time flow seems different every time. I wonder how long its been in Narnia since I've arrived..." Ed paused to think about it, but shuddered. He didn't want to know. "Anyways, I'll get back to the story. The search party left while everyone remained oblivious to the tragic turn of the night-"

"If Kay was sleeping when this was all happening, where was I?" Duke broke in.

Ed sighed, "I was talking with Caspian at the head table, we were remarking how well you mixed in with the Telmarines and Narnians. It was almost as if he had lived amongst us for years. We were trying to act and talk normally, so we wouldn't alert the others about what was happening. We needed to keep everyone calm. You were dancing with a very pretty Telmarine," Ed smiled softly. "But Caspian said that she had _quite_ the reputation with the men of the castle. Then it happened."

"What happened?" Will asked, impatiently.

"A woman screamed hysterically in the middle of the dance floor. The entire feast stopped in an instant. People stopped speaking, the orchestra ceased playing, and all dancers froze in place. Everyone looked at the terrified woman and she began to scream 'He's gone! Lord Duke vanished!' over and over again." Edmund rubbed his temples, "She caused chaos. People started shouting in amazement or fright. Some even thought we were under attack. But all I thought about was you, Kay."

I blinked, not very surprised. Leave it Edmund to remember me...

"I ran to your room, Caspian following, yelling for me to explain what was happening. We came to your room, which was locked, but Caspian had a master key of course and we opened it..." Ed took a deep breath, "And you were gone. Poof. Just like that."

"Oh Ed," I reached out under the table and held his hand. "I'm so sorry."

"You know," Ed gave a lifeless laugh. "Your bed was still warm... I think I was just a few seconds too late. I had missed my chance to say goodbye. I thought I would never see you again..."

I gave his hand a squeeze.

Dad cleared his throat, "Excuse me, but am I missing something here? Between you two?"

A very awkward silence followed before Duke chuckled, "You're not missing anything, sir. You should be grateful to Ed, he's saved Kayla's life loads of times."

"Honey," Mom hissed. "He saved our daughter's life! Remember when she was shot by the arrow and-"

"Yes," Dad cut her off, uncomfortable with that topic. He hated mentioning any of those memories, they made him want to break a window. "But look at them! They're so-"

"Comfortable?" Mom said dryly. "She's never had a brother. And now she has two. Duke and this Edmund, are you really going to protest against that? They're going to take care of her when we can't."

"Why are you all talking as if I'm not here?" I cried.

"Oh be quiet Dolphin," Dad dismissed me.

"Please, continue," Mom told Edmund, also ignoring me.

"Well... Obviously, the night's festivities came to an end. Caspian and I returned to the Great Hall, where everyone had gathered nervously. We explained that Queen Susan had gone missing and that a search party had been sent out. People asked questions, but refused to give out details, thinking that secrecy was best. And then we announced that the two of you had been sent back into your world, but for what reason we did not know." Ed caught his breath. He was talking quickly now, trying to get to the end of the tale and explain how he had come to enter our world. "The whole capitol turned upside down of course, gossip spread faster than fire. We set up a perimeter around the city and guards questioned anyone that entered or exited. We knew that any conspirators would try to flee as soon as we announced Susan's disappearance. But no one seemed suspicious, so we're assuming that Lady Niomee has directed her assistants to stay inside the city and act normally.

By the time I had left directions with the Narnian captains and advised Caspian on how to handle the situation, it was dawn the next morning. I was exhausted, but I knew that I had to tell Peter about you, Kay. He just had to know. So I rode out, following the searching party's tracks and eventually caught up to him several hours later. He was devastated, naturally, but I think that after the initial shock wore off... It made him more determined.

I think that Peter somehow thought that by finding Susan, he would get you back. Maybe he made some sort of plea or agreement with Aslan in his head... That he could get you back if he rescued Susan and brought the kidnappers to Susan. I don't know, but this insanity has overtaken him. He's acted as if you aren't gone, as if you'll be waiting for him at the castle when he returns. He refuses to come back to the castle until he brings Susan with him. Vicern hasn't come back either, he won't rest or stop with his search.

Peter's lost his sanity," Edmund groaned. "He's obsessed with this pretend reality that he's invented. He firmly believes that you're simply waiting for him to bring Susan back in the castle, just spending your days with me and Lucy."

I had lowered my head onto the table, closing my eyes. I didn't want to hear any of this, but I had to. I needed to know how Peter was... Even if he was coping poorly.

"He writes letters to Lucy daily and he always ask how you are, what you think of the castle, if you've made any friends with the Telmarines, and so on. I swear, he's lost his marbles. And I've been on my own search for the past two weeks, unable to bear watching my brother writher away in his pretend world. For two weeks I have scoured the country for Aslan, praying that I would find him... And eventually, I did find him."

"Where?" Duke's voice was no longer light or easy, it sounded heavy and hoarse.

"He was laying in the middle of the ruins of Jadis' castle," Edmund stated. "He was bleeding."


	37. Chapter 36

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**Chapter 36**

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I suggest that all those who have not read the Narnia book series read a brief summary of each book. I have references to '**The Magician's Nephew**' in this chapter. I'll do my best to explain as much as I can though!

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I have more reviews for Royal Findings II than the first! You readers are amazing, thank you so much. You have no idea how much reviews help inspire me. Keep it up!

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The table went absolutely silent. We stared at Edmund unable to understand what he said. I felt my blood freeze. My stomach fell, quickly followed by my heart. I felt sick... I felt nothing but absolute and utter terror. Aslan bleeding? Impossible.

"No," Ed whispered, "It's not Kay."

I blinked, then realized that I had actually spoken aloud.

"W-What happened?" Duke questioned. He sounded as if someone had just punched him in the stomach, knocking the air out of him. I snapped out of my stupor and glanced at him. Duke was slouched in his seat, his hands trembling as they struggled to hold onto the sides of his beanie. He looked frightened...

I understood.

If someone could harm Aslan... No one was safe.

"Narnia is in trouble," Ed pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. He took a few moments to gather his thoughts before he opened his eyes, keeping them on me now. I don't think he had the will power or strength to look at everyone, the despair in his brown orbs sent shivers down my spine. "Aslan can't protect us anymore, we have to do this alone."

"Do what?" Dad asked. He sounded concerned, but nothing more. I wanted to shake him and scream. But it wasn't my dad's fault... He didn't understand the gravity of the situation. He couldn't understand how scary this news was.

"Save our home," Edmund kept his eyes locked on my face. "Our country is in trouble... Narnia needs us. That's why Aslan sent me to bring you back Kay, he can't do it on his own this time."

"This time?" I echoed. "What does that mean?"

"There have been other times when Aslan has protected us, we didn't know though. He isn't the only one with powers, there are others out there."

"Where?" I frowned, "Magic doesn't exist here, no matter what time or year it is. And the only other people with magic were Jadis and myself... Not even M-" I bit my lip as it trembled.

Could I say it?

Could I say that wicked woman's name? Ever since the day I died, I had never spoken her name.

_Yes._

It was time now, time to move on. That had been a long time ago, years for me. That had been a lifetime ago for others, for Peter... _Oh Peter_. I blinked hurriedly as water filled in my eyes again, begging for permission to fall out. My poor Peter... He was lost and withering away without me. It had been such heartbreak for us to separate the first time- how could fate do this? Why would it tear us apart again?!

I took a deep breath to calm myself, and it worked. "Not even M-Marie," My voice trembled a bit, but I forced myself to keep speaking, "had magic. She just used herbs. There isn't anyone in Narnia who could threaten Aslan-"

"But that's just it," Edmund reached out and cupped my cheek with the palm of his hand. It was warm and comforting, I felt myself stop trembling in fear. "There are other worlds."

"WHAT?" Will exclaimed.

"No!" Mom covered her mouth in horror.

"How?!" Alyssa gasped.

Dad and Duke sat there, quiet, but obviously stunned. I don't know how much more news we would handle before our spirits broke. This was all too... insane. Absolutely _insane!_ I leaned into Edmund's hand, seeking out the only thing from keeping my sanity in tact. "Ed... That... That can't be true."

"It is!"

"How could you know?"

"Aslan told me," He replied quietly. "I rode up to the castle ruins on my horse, who began to act strangely. He was scared and I fell off when he reared back. I got up and chased after him as he ran off, neighing loudly. He turned a corner and I found myself standing in the middle of the courtyard..."

Images of stone figures flashed in my eyes. The White Witch had imprisoned innocents for decades in that courtyard. Aslan had been the one to set them free, Susan and Lucy had told me the tale. Poor Mr. Tumnus... I hope that he was at peace in the world of the dead. Vicern promised that it would be a good place to go.

"Aslan lay there, alone, and at first I thought he was... I thought he was dead." Edmund shuddered, "But I heard him say my name... He called me to him, asked me to sit with him. I tried to bandage his wound, but my supplies were gone as my horse had vanished. I was going to tear and use my shirt but Aslan stopped me, saying that I would need my clothing. He told me that it was time to take everything that I had learned from Narnia, and use it to save those I loved. He spoke of other worlds, ones full of danger and wicked creatures, ones of beauty and peace, ones of emptiness... And the one for the dead. 'Heaven' as we would call it..."

"Edmund, please, what happened?" I whispered, afraid to hear the answer.

"He wouldn't tell me everything, but I know enough to realize that it doesn't matter if we know all the details," Ed said lowly. "Look, there are other magical beings, they come from other worlds. Jadis came from another world, did you know that? It's called the World of Charn... There were humans in Narnia before us, they were present for the creation of Narnia. But that's another tale, for another time. Point is, they came across the Wood Between the Worlds... the gateway world I suppose. There are portals to all the worlds there, they look like pools of water. Well, the human accidentally brought Jadis to our world, my time, and Narnia. She imprisoned the country for 100 years in winter! And that was just _one_ magical being... Imagine what a handful could do! Aslan has been keeping them at bay with his own magic, from the way he spoke, I get the feeling that he oversees all the worlds. Like some sort of Guardian, like you, except for all worlds, not just Narnia. That's why he was gone! That's why he didn't stop the Telmarines from invading... There were wars and dangers in other worlds that kept him delayed for so long!"

"Oh... my... God." I breathed heavily. My mind was wheeling.

Ed nodded, "Exactly my reaction. But listen, Aslan knew that we needed his help too, so he returned. He awoke the trees, just when we defeated the Telmarines remember? There was a cost to his coming though. We distracted him, giving the other magical beings a perfect opportunity to strike. They've broken through, into Narnia and-"

"_How?_" Alyssa broke up, her voice high pitched. "They couldn't get into the portal world without humans bringing them right?"

"Right," Ed agreed, finally taking his eyes off me. He gave Alyssa a sad look, "Aslan's power is strong enough to keep them out, unless a son of adam or daughter of eve brings them in. He can keep them out physically... But they're magic, they have powers that we wouldn't understand or believe. I don't really get it myself... but somehow a few of them have been able to send some sort of... spirit. A shadow. An evil extension of them in soul, since their bodies couldn't physically follow Aslan."

"These... spirits," I said carefully, "Followed Aslan?"

"Yes, he didn't know," Ed sighed. "We distracted him, he could hear Susan's horn call for him too. He could hear the thousands of prayers and pleas of Narnians. He could feel the hope of the country for him to return. He could feel your fire as you fought when he could not. As Guardian, he couldn't ignore us. We needed him, so he came."

"O-Okay," I tugged on the edge of my shirt nervously, "What happened to these shadows?"

"They're powerless without a body," Ed explained. "So they found new ones."

Silence.

"W-Who?" Duke whispered darkly. "Who did they take?"

"Niomee."

"Why her?" Will asked, his voice wavered.

"Aslan said that they feed on dark desires, they can control weak and dark souls... Niomee wanted Vicern, when he was taken. She was desperate for help, but I doubt that she would have asked for _that_ sort of help." Edmund sighed, "She's a victim, not an enemy. We need to save her too. Her companions are loyal to her, she has probably threatened them and so they listen to her... The shadows have also attracted enemy creatures. Hags, werewolves, ghouls, and others have joined Niomee. They overwhelmed Aslan at first, he fought back and managed to escape with a wound."

"Holy crap," Duke let out a crazed laugh. "This is ridiculous. First talking animals? Witches? River Gods? Actually... No, this does make sense. We never even considered there being other worlds. Let alone what else could exist. Damn, this **is** an adventure novel!"

Leave it to Duke to turn to humor...

"This is real," Alyssa reprimanded him. "Not a story book."

"Who else?" Dad questioned, getting back on topic.

Edmund turned back to me with a pleading look, "Susan... They took Susan."

My world came crashing down then. No more. I couldn't take anymore. "Why do you need me?" I argued desperately, "Please... I don't have any powers anymore! Aslan sent me back! Do you hear that? He doesn't want me there-"

"You're wrong," Edmund gave me a hard look. "He needs you! Narnia needs you!"

"Why the hell would-"

"You don't get it do you?! That's why you're called the Guardian. You're his assistant, his substitute. When he cannot guard Narnia, it is you who must."

"And who is the guardian of this world," Dad suddenly spoke. He looked upset, "Why the hell should my daughter risk her life for some crazy lion? Where is our guardian? Where is my daughter?!"

Edmund opened his mouth to retaliate, but I beat him to it. "DAD!"

"What?!"

"How can you say that...?" I shook my head, "That's so selfish. You've always taught me to help others-"

"Not like this-"

"They needed my help," I said, standing up. "Innocent people needed my help. I don't know why, but Aslan chose me. And if it's within my power to do something, to improve life, then I'm not going to turn down such a responsibility."

"What about us?" Dad stood up too, glaring. "Are you so ready to die again? Your death would kill your mother! Just look at her now!"

My eyes darted to my mother. They widened at what I saw.

A devastated, crumpled form sat huddled in the chair. She didn't look like my mother... She looked gaunt and dead, but she still breathed... rapidly, as if having an asthma attack. She rocked slightly in her chair, in attempt to comfort herself. Her eyes were closed and hands over her ears, as if she wanted to block and forget the world.

I had never seen my mother like this.

Guilt filled me, hitting me hard. I walked around the table and wrapped my arms around her, "Oh God... Mommy... I'm so _sorry_!"

Mom didn't say anything, she kept rocking. I couldn't tell if she had even felt me embrace her. She looked so broken, so lost.

"Mommy," I sobbed, finally crying. "Mommy... please, don't cry. I'm sorry! I won't go back, I won't leave you again-"

"Kay we need-" Ed began.

I froze and snapped my neck so I faced him, "Be quiet!" I hissed, "Look at her. I **can't** leave her. It'll kill her."

"You have a family in Narnia too!" Ed shouted. "What about me? What about Lucy? What about Susan?! My sister is **missing.** My brother is going **insane.** They were your family too!"

My arms tightened around my mom, I sobbed harder. I couldn't see anything, just watery blurs of colors around the room. "I... I can't. But... Oh I don't know... Mommy... I _love _him. But.. I-I d-don't know! I _love_ you Mommy, I do." I was blabbering, but I was so lost.

I had **two** families.

I had **two** homes.

But I had **one** heart.

That one heart loved everyone equally, I couldn't split it in half. My love belonged to everyone... It could not be stolen or bought. There was only one of me. I wanted to protect everyone, I wanted to save everyone.

I wanted Mom to paint my nails, I wanted to see Lucy grow up, I wanted to shoot hoops with Dad, I wanted to cook with Susan, I wanted to fight over the remote with Kate, I wanted to horseback ride with Edmund, I wanted to see Will win an archery competition, I wanted to help Caspian with ruling, I wanted to laugh with Duke, I wanted to duel Vicern, I wanted to see Alyssa graduate medical school, I wanted to love Peter.

I wanted two worlds, I wanted it all.

How could anyone ever ask me to choose?

"Kay..."

The voice was weak and soft, but full of authority.

I looked up and through my tears, "Yes Mommy?"

"Go. They need you. _He_ needs you."


	38. Chapter 37

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**Chapter 37**

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Sorry for the delay. Been busy with school! ack!

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"So," I slowly sat back down, "How do we get back into Narnia?"

Edmund rubbed the back of his neck and looked away from me, "N-Now... That's a funny question."

I blinked in surprise, "What does that mean?"

"He doesn't know," Duke let out an unsteady laugh. "Holy crap, Ed doesn't know!"

"Aslan didn't exactly give me the chance to ask!" Edmund muttered, turning red. "One moment he's ordering me to bring you back and the next I'm standing in the middle of a school! It took me a while to even realize I was in our world... And in the bloody future!"

"So..." I lowered my head onto the table, "What you're telling me is that you have no idea how to get back? No idea when we need to go back? And no idea how much time is passing in Narnia? We're doing this blindly?"

"Erm," Ed coughed. "Pretty much, yeah."

I took a deep breath and forced myself to sit up straight again, "Okay. I would complain and yell at you, but that won't help rescue Susan and Peter. I think we should-"

"Rescue Peter?" Alyssa frowned, "He's not the one captured."

"Yes he is," I bit my lip, "Captured by insanity. What sort of person can cope with losing their loved one twice? I don't blame him for... losing himself. But I can't let it happen."

"So much for being a strong king," Dad crossed his arms.

"Oi!" Edmund snapped, "Don't you dare-"

"Ignore him Ed," I cut in. "I do."

Before my father could throw a retort back, Mom interfered. She wiped her face with the sleeves of her sweater, something she never did. Mom was a clean freak. With her voice still rough with emotion, she ordered, "Shut up. Everyone just stop it. We need to focus, not fight."

"Agreed!" Will tapped the table.

Alyssa smacked the back of his head, "You're not helping."

"What are we going to do?" Duke asked me, looking determined.

I gave him a funny look, "What do you mean 'we'?"

"You're kidding right?" Duke snorted, "I'm not letting you two do this alone. I'm going back too."

"Aslan never mentioned you!" I reminded him.

"Yeah, but he never said _only_ you," Duke rolled his eyes. "Am I right Eddy?"

"Don't call me that," The King of Narnia warned, sounding like an adult once again. "And... yes, you're right. Aslan never said to just bring Kay back."

"Hah! See?" Duke beamed.

"In that case, I'm going too!" Announced Alyssa. She lifted her chin proudly but she didn't smile. "It sounds like Aslan needs as much help as he can get so-"

I threw my arms up, "NO!"

How could they be so stupid? Duke had already seen the horrors and dangers that Narnia presented... And he had never killed a man! As for Alyssa, she would only be a burden. She might as well have been a child! How could she even think about joining us on this quest? I couldn't imagine losing them. I couldn't let them take that chance.

"You're not my mother-" Alyssa began.

"No, but I'm the solider here. Look, I know that you've always wanted an adventure, we used to talk about going off in fantasy lands when we were kids, but this is reality. You could die Alyssa, you probably would. You can't kill because you don't have any battle skills! Please, don't even offer your help," I implored her. "I know you want to help... But I can't let you come with us."

"You couldn't hold a weapon much less kill anyone either!" Duke suddenly attacked. "Are you kidding me? How is Alyssa any different to who you were last year? You were just an ordinary high school girl too... But look at you. You're here. You survived."

"Yes but Alyssa-" I tried to speak, but Duke wouldn't let me.

"Oh stop it Kayla!" He growled, "You can't protect everyone."

I turned bright red, "_Excuse me?_" I hissed, "But I don't see any lions naming you Guardian! Don't tell me what to do, don't tell me that I can't protect everyone. It's my duty. I protect people, I guard them!"

"You're the Guardian of Narnia," Alyssa bravely faced my anger. "Not mine. I'm 18 now, I make my own decisions-"

"18? Guess how old I am!" I laughed dryly, "Guess how old Edmund is! 18 is nothing Alyssa."

"Kay," A soft voice spoke. We all looked at my mother.

"Let them go," She murmured, "It's their decision."

"But-"

"We're not children," Will joined in, sounding grim. "You act as if we're toddlers... Give us more credit that than. If you were able to handle it at such a young age, then I'm sure we'll be fine."

Edmund patted his hand on my shoulder, "Kay?"

My voice failed me, I could only look at him desperately.

"I don't like them coming," Ed frowned, "But they're right. We don't have the right to stop them."

I closed my eyes. _No..._ This couldn't be happening. I would not hesitate to sacrifice myself for Narnia, but I couldn't let the others do the same. They had so much... so much to do in their lives. They would go to college. They would marry. They would have children of their own.

Me?

I would lucky to have such a life. My future was uncertain and delicate.

"What possibly," I spat, "Could you all do to help?"

"I helped in the last war," Duke said patiently, "And you damn know it. So no need for the hate."

"You had time to train," I opened my eyes and glared at the modern teenagers in the room. "But those two won't have that luxury."

"I can use the bow!" Challenged Will.

"You barely hit the targets," Duke rolled his eyes.

Will's eyes turned into slits, "Shut up. You just think you're better than us because you've been to Narnia before!"

"No, I just think I have an advantage," Shrugged Duke.

"Enough," Dad groaned, "I've had enough of all this arguing."

"We need to ready ourselves," Edmund nodded his head. "We need to be prepared to enter Narnia at any second. Anywhere."

"Yeah," I agreed. "Which is why I was thinking... Okay, this may sound like a hassle, but I think it's a good idea... We should be dressed for hiking at all times, even when we sleep. And we should always have a bag full of supplies on us."

Everyone gaped at me.

"T-That's..." Alyssa blinked. "Really smart."

"Clever," Edmund laughed, "That way, we'll always have food and gear."

"We could walk through a doorway and be ready. We could go to bed and wake up in Narnia but still be ready," I said. "So apart from showering... We should wear boots and jeans."

"Or a tunic," Duke joked, pointing to Edmund who was still dressed in Narnia fashion.

"Or a tunic," I amended with a sad smile. I couldn't believe it. They were going to come with us. Well... at least they thought they'd be. The only reason I didn't argue any more was because there wasn't any certainty. Aslan would use his magic to only bring back those he wanted. He could transport Edmund and I during lunch when the others were at school. He could transport us when we slept at night, but leave the others snoring in their own homes.

I doubted Aslan would bring them all.

"Well," Will sighed, "It's a good thing my parents are gone this week, otherwise they'd make me go to school."

"WHAT?" I gaped.

"I'm not going to school," Will frowned at me. "How could I? You could get sent to Narnia during the day... I have to be here too."

"I'll give Aslan until Wednesday," Duke announced. "After that, I'll have to start going to classes. Until then, I'll just say I'm sick. My roommates will take notes for me."

"B-But," I protested. "You can't ditch school!"

"We have to," Alyssa piped up. "I know for a fact my parents won't let my skip, they'll force me to go... But I'll just hide out here, pretend I followed you to England or something."

"They'll kill you," Mom noted. "Your mother will call the police."

Alyssa groaned, "I know! But what else can I do?"

"You can't lie to them," I begged her. "Your parents are insane. They'll get the FBI to find you! Your dad has connection in the army, I wouldn't be surprised if he managed to-"

"I refuse to get left behind!" Alyssa shouted at me.

"It's not worth it!" I moaned, "This isn't some happy adventure where we meet fairies, fly over the rainbow, or pet cute bunnies. This is battle. This is **death**."

"Come on," Alyssa gave me a look disbelief. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? I understand what this means!"

"Then why the hell are you so determined to come?" I demanded.

"BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PROTECT YOU!" Alyssa roared, getting to her feet. "You're such an idiot Kay! All this time you've been the Guardian, protecting and fighting for others. But haven't you ever thought about who protects you? Who fights for you? WE DO. Your family. Your friends!"

"I-"

"When you were losing your memory, who was it that kept you from forgetting? US! We came to you in your dreams, in your head... Whether or not we realized it, our love went into Narnia and reached you. Who was it who helped you heal after being murdered and heartbroken? US!" Alyssa pointed at me accusingly, "Stop trying to be the God here. You're just as human as the rest of us. You need us. We love you... I love you. I'm not going to let you fight one more battle without my help."

My mouth hung open.

I didn't even know what to say. How could one respond to such passion? To such love?

"Okay," Alyssa beamed and sat down with a pleasant face, "I'm finished."

I swear, she's insane.

Edmund cleared his throat awkwardly, "I... Wow, thank you for that Alyssa. Now, if you all don't mind, could we please get supplies? I'm afraid of us getting sent back any second."

"I can drive us to the store," Alyssa offered. "We can buy camping gear or whatever there."

"I'll gather up some food," Mom offered.

"And I'll try and see what we have up in the attic. Maybe a tent or two," Dad muttered.

I simply sat there as everyone got up, bustling and jumping into action.

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"They're rather large," Edmund pulled up the jeans again. "I really do think you have the wrong size-"

"Naw," Duke grinned. "It's just modern fashion."

"Boys wear jeans that are three sizes too big for them," Alyssa mumbled. "Stupid, I know."

"You're just jealous that I'm more hip than you," Will smirked. He had leant Edmund some clothing. It was just... _wrong_ to see Edmund in jeans and a polo shirt. He looked like an ordinary teenager. Just another face in the crowd. People walked by him without a care in the world, completely ignorant of the power and wisdom he possessed. A few girls gave him curious glances, but simply because of his looks.

I trailed behind the group, refusing to speak. I was still too dumbfounded with the entire situation. Since when did my family and friends become so adamant on me returning to Narnia? They've always feared losing me... And here they were, not only pushing me back, but joining me.

Seriously, they were all insane!

"So what are we looking for?" Alyssa put her hands on her hips. She looked different in thick jeans and plain t-shirt. For years she'd only worn colorful, modern, and flattering attire... Now, she appeared simple and boyish. Her muddy, brown boots definitely made her manly too. But I couldn't judge her because I wasn't looking so hot either. I didn't dress as dramatically as her, because I was used to riding in dresses and living a more natural life... But I still more my own jeans with a shirt. I didn't wear boots though, as I preferred sneakers. Hey, if I could do this in a fancy dress and heels... I could handle anything.

"Let's see... We should buy some torches?" Edmund suggested.

Duke burst out into laughter, "Torches? This isn't the medieval ages!"

I finally spoke, "No, they call flashlights 'torches' in England."

"Ohhhhhhhhh." The three modern, American teenagers chorused together.

"Bloody hell," Ed rubbed his temples. "This is going to be a crazy night..."

And it really was. Alyssa and Will wanted to take outrageous amounts of supplies. They obviously didn't understand that it would be impossible to carry so much for a long distance. They were city kids though, they didn't know better. Duke wasn't much better, but he didn't pull out fifteen things at a time. Edmund had the patience that I lacked, so he handled the crazed teenagers.

I went off on my own, gathering a few items I'd put in a backpack. I'd keep spare tennis shoes in my bag too, but no clothes. I'd grab a tunic when back in Narnia, they were the best for traveling. Jeans and a t-shirt had absolutely nothing on a tunic.

Flashlight.

Compass.

Lighter.

First Aid Kit.

Binoculars.

I didn't need anything else. I was used to wilderness.

"Oh there she is!"

I looked up and saw the gang walking towards me. They all held an assortment of goods.

"Hey," I greeted as I put the rope back on the shelf. "All ready?"

"Yeah," Duke held out a box. "Look, flares!"

"Flares?" I raised an eyebrow, "I didn't know they sold those here."

"Yup," Alyssa beamed. "Duke's going to buy them since he's the oldest. He wanted to buy a gun but Edmund wouldn't have it."

"A gun?!" I hissed. "Are you insane?"

Duke glared, "It could be a huge advantage. You know it."

"Yes," Ed growled, "But if an enemy got their hands on a gun... The entire world would be at risk. They could learn from it, they would learn about gunpowder. Narnia only has swords and bows, let's keep it that way."

Will snorted, "So no guns but we can take flares?"

"Flares have chemicals," Edmund sighed. "There's no way those elves could make flares, even if they got their hands on a modern one. They're not that advanced in science."

"Good point." I began walking, "Let's pay and get out of here."

They agreed and followed. The cashier gave us strange looks, but thankfully he didn't question us. Teenagers buying lots of camping gear during a school week with no holidays coming up?

Suspicious!

The car ride was quiet, we were all busy thinking. I was thinking about Peter. I wanted to cry, but my eyes didn't have tears. Plus, tears did absolutely nothing for the situation. He needed strength, not pity. He needed me. I couldn't believe fate could be so cruel. How could fate put Peter through such pain- _again?_ It just wasn't fair.

"Where is everyone sleeping?" Will asked

"In my room," I answered unlocking the front door to my house. My parents were waiting for us in the living room with bags of food. We all sat in the large room and packed. My backpack was rather light and did not bulge. I didn't overpack. I knew that the more weight I carried, the slower I would travel. And that wouldn't work, because I needed to get to Peter as quickly as I could.

Susan didn't have much time either.

"My bag is so freaking heavy," Alyssa muttered.

I glanced up from my own packed bag to hers. It looked filled to the max and I wondered if the zippers would even hold. She sat next to it pouting.

"Take half of it out," I told her. "Only bare necessities."

She groaned.

"I'm ready," Will announced. And it looked true, because his bag was light and rather empty too. "I can add some more food if you'd like."

"Please do," Ed cut in. He stepped away from the window where had been standing for the past fifteen minutes. He enjoyed watching the modern neighborhood I think. The cars fascinated him, people's clothes made his eyes bulge, and homes made him bite his lips. Everything was so different.

"You kids should get some sleep," Dad stretched in his armchair.

"Good idea," Duke yawned. "But sleeping in these clothes is going to be a pain."

"Oh shut up," I laughed. "You know very well that going to Narnia in a tuxedo and evening gown is NOT a good idea!"

"True true," He smirked. "But I did make quite a dashing Prince didn't I?"

"And I the gorgeous Princess," I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah and-"

"OH MY GOD!" Mom shrieked.

All eyes flew to her. Mom had jumped back into the wall, her face ghostly white. Her body was tense and arms brought in front of her as if protecting her from some unknown force.

"Honey?" Dad got up immediately and moved towards her, "What's the-"

"LISTEN!" Mom hissed.

"To what?" I asked.

"LISTEN!" She repeated.

No one made a sound. I swear, I could hear the preteen down the street listening to his radio in his bedroom. My house was silent, even Dopey seemed to stop breathing. He lay on the floor peering up at my mother with a strange look in his eyes.

Then, Dopey began barking.

I jumped in surprise.

"What's the matter boy?" Edmund asked quietly.

"I don't hear anything-" Alyssa started to say.

"I HEAR IT!" Dad shouted in fright. He ran over to my mother and stood in front of her, shielding her. "What the hell is it?"

"What?" Duke demanded.

Dopey started to growl. In all my years of having him as my canine companion, I had never seen Dopey so angry. He was a lazy, lethargic fellow. Dopey wouldn't hurt a fly... So what was getting him so crazed?

And then I heard it.

The sounds of hags cackling.

Werewolves howling.

Ghouls screaming.

White Tigers roaring.

Monsters.

Monsters of Narnia.

And they were very happy...

"PUT YOUR BACKPACKS ON!" I scrambled to my feet, sliding my arms through the arm holes of the bag. I ran over to my parents and hugged them, "I'll see you again. I don't care how hard it is, but I **will** come back to you. I love you."

"MAKAYLA-" Mom screamed in horror, her eyes stared at something behind me.

I turned slowly.

There, in the middle of my living room, was a floating door. Past the frame was a field of grass, full of Narnian's evil monsters. They were on the move, a great heard, traveling. They passed by the portal by hundreds of feet and didn't notice it.

"Let's go," Edmund looked at me.

I nodded.

He smiled and stepped through the door.

"Don't forget, I'll come back." I declared and followed my King.


	39. Chapter 38

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**Chapter 38**

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Well, this is a slightly longer chapter. Have fun with it!

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The sensitive skin of my cheeks stung as the cold night air flew against it. My braids shook as the breeze hit them. And I gasped when the pure, Narnian air entered my mouth.

I was back.

No...

**We** were back.

Immediately, Edmund and I crouched so that we were hidden in the tall green grass. The tips of the grass came up to our chests, it was a forest of greenery. I glanced behind me and watched in fascination as Duke appeared out of thin air.

He saw the army of monsters and threw himself to the ground. His eyes were wide but this time, he didn't lose his sanity. His hands were tight on the straps of his backpack, showing his determination. Duke and Edmund shared a determined look.

Next came Alyssa.

And she wasn't very smart.

"What-" She began to say.

I threw myself at her, we landed in the grass hard, but the grass didn't make much noise. My hand was firmly pressed against her slightly open mouth. I glared at her and she paled.

What an idiot! Is she trying to get us killed?

I think she saw my criticism because Alyssa looked down, ashamed. When I lifted my hand off her mouth, she looked up again. 'Sorry' she mouthed.

I could only nod, still frustrated.

Finally, Will appeared. He tumbled into the grass, obviously not prepared for the transport from world to world. Will was clumsy, I knew that, which is why I was particularly not keen on him joining us. But someone's lack of grace was hardly a just reason to deny them from helping an admirable cause. Thankfully, Will didn't make a sound. But I think it was simply because he was too frightened and anxious to think coherently.

Edmund held his finger to his lips, signaling for us to remain quiet. I rolled my eyes, I didn't need a reminder.

'Stay low,' I mouthed to other three modern teenagers. They all nodded. Duke confidently, Alyssa shakily, and Will slowly.

Edmund and I crawled through the tall, thick grass. We moved slowly and cautiously, very aware of the sounds we made. Some monsters has heightened senses and so far they had not smelled us. Judging by the way the grass rolled, the wind did not give our scents away. The wind was in our favor.

The door had abandoned us on the other side of a small hill. We were hidden from view from the monsters- barely. So we only had to crawl a few more feet up the inclination to get an overseeing view of the large migration.

The monsters sent shivers down my spine. I had to clamp my lips together and make a genuine effort to keep myself from crying out. There were so many of them! All sorts of species too. All demented. All happy?

'Happy?' I mouthed to Edmund.

He frowned and then shrugged. Obviously, he was just as lost as I was.

Well, we watched for ten minutes there until we could no longer see the monsters or hear their footsteps. We waited until it was absolutely silent until we tentatively stood up.

"You can come out now," I said softly.

A few moments later, the others stood up as well.

"What the hell?" Alyssa threw her arms up, "Who were they?!"

"The enemy," Duke scoffed. "Duh."

"She's not retarded," Will defended his girlfriend fiercely. "She was asking-"

"We don't know who they are exactly or what their purpose is," Edmund cut in smoothly. His voice was calm and deep. The insecure and light-hearted teenager had vanished. Only the strong, stern, and cunning King of Narnia remained. "It doesn't matter, we must avoid them. I recognize this valley, we are not far from Cair Paravel. On foot we will arrive there in two days-"

"WHAT?" Will groaned, "Two days of walking?"

I gaped at him, "Are you kidding me?"

"Dude, shut up," Duke pushed Will roughly.

"What the hell man?!" Will shoved back.

"**You** asked to come along," I pointed viciously at him. "We haven't been here for more than fifteen minutes and you're already complaining? How dare you! This isn't easy, quick America anymore. We have to work for everything in this world. There aren't any cars to take us wherever we wish. We have no phones to call one another. We have no guns to protect us. We _must_ work!"

"If you're not prepared to make this journey," Edmund crossed his arms, "Then why did you come?"

"I..." Will's shoulders fell, "Sorry. I'm j-just freaked out okay?"

"It's alright," Alyssa reached out and took his hand, "I'm scared too, but we wanted this. We have to help Kay..."

"Yeah and-"

"We have to make sure we help!" Alyssa chastised. "We can't be burdens. We can't complain!"

"Sorry," Will looked at me, "I'm sorry."

I nodded, "Okay. Let's all just keep cool heads, we can't afford to fight. Ed?"

"Yes?"

"Let's send the message-"

"Alright," Ed waved us. "This way. We need to speak with those trees over there, the dryads can send word to Peter to regroup at the castle."

"Are we telling him that Kayla's back?" Duke asked.

"No," Ed shook his head. "Peter's too unstable to handle such news. He'd probably think it was a cruel joke and that the dryads are now the enemy too! No, we'll send word that we have found clues about Susan's whereabouts but we need to regroup to solve them. He'll do anything to get Susan back... and therefore Kay back. He'll answer the call."

"And we need to hurry if we are to beat him back to Cair Paravel," I tugged on my braids. "We have no idea how far or close he is from home."

I surprised myself. And everyone else.

Had I just called Cair Paravel home?

Oh, I am a wicked... WICKED person! I had just left my _parents_ behind... My _sister_ behind... My _world_... And I was already calling Narnia home?

"We should have brought bicycles with us," Alyssa put her hands on her hips. "They would have been perfect. Quick too."

"No," Duke laughed. "We can't risk changing the technology here. It has to happen naturally. But hell yeah, bikes would have been amazing. Maybe I could have brought my dad's Harley and-"

"Where'd you get the gas from?" I laughed out loud.

"Oh," Duke reddened. "I forgot about that."

"Retard," Will scoffed.

"What the hell did you-" Duke cracked his fingers.

"Boys," Edmund sighed. "Keep your arguments to yourselves. We're here to help my family, not bicker. Now, let's get our message sent Kay."

I nodded. What was with Duke and Will? Honestly, they were like jealous brothers. Always competing. Always pointing the finger at one another. Always fighting.

Edmund approached a large tree. It was a strong tree, an old one too. The dryad would be a wise and serious being... Their nature varied with the type of tree. Fruit trees were motherly and caring. Oaks were confident and supporters. Cherry blossoms were carefree and exciting. The list went on and on.

"Dryad!" Edmund stood close to the tree, but did not touch it. It was considered rude to touch a living tree without asking permission. It made sense... I wouldn't appreciate strangers leaning against me. "My dear friend, speak to us! I am King Edmund!"

As soon as he spoke his title, the dryad appeared. It was female and beautiful, they were all so beautiful. They swayed so gracefully in the air... As if sliding in water... Just the sight of them brought a sense of comfort to me. They were diamonds of nature. My eyes watched as the dryad flew down from the branches high above to our level down below. She moved so easily...

"Oh... my..." Alyssa whispered.

I forced my eyes away from the entrancing creature. "Are you alright?" I smiled at my friend. She looked beyond shocked. Will on the other hand merely tipped his head slightly, obviously curious with his first encounter with a Narnian being.

Alyssa gulped nervously, "Y-Yeah."

"You sure?"

"It's... it's just weird," She bit her lip, "It's not really a big deal to hear stories about dryads and see paintings on google... But in person? Jeez, magic **is** real!"

"Yes," I gave her a supportive pat on the shoulder. "Just wait until you speak with an animal. That's quite an experience."

"My King!" The dryad's voice was just as lovely as her appearance. No human could have such a mesmerizing voice, it sounded like nature itself.

Edmund bowed respectfully and I followed suit before approaching, "Good day dryad."

The dryad stared at me and then did something that caught us all off guard. She jumped back into her branches with a shriek. It was a frightening sound- to hear such a dreadful noise come from such a pretty being.

We all clamped our hands over our ears.

"PEACE!" Edmund shouted.

"CALM YOURSELF!" I pleaded.

"SHUT UP!" Duke screamed.

Thankfully, she stopped.

Tentatively, I let my hands drop. "Why do scream so?" I asked, my ears still hurting.

The dryad peeked her head out of the branches, she stared at me in fright, "Y-You..."

"I am Makayla," I didn't feel comfortable saying 'Princess' in front of Alyssa and Will. I mean, how snobby did that sound? "I am a Guardian of Narnia. I am your friend."

"Do you swear by Aslan and all that is good that you are the Guardian?" The dryad remained in place. She sounded scared.

"Yes, I swear." I quickly promised. "Please, come down, we will not harm you. I promise."

"Are you all human?"

"Yes," Edmund cleared his throat. "Why do you fear the sight of your own Princess?"

Damn it. He'd said 'Princess' in front of them anyways! I felt my cheeks darken in embarrassment.

"I did not know if she was a ghost," The dryad floated slowly down.

"A ghost?" Will echoed, "I didn't think Narnia had ghosts. You guys never mentioned them."

I frowned, "I've never heard of ghosts in Narnia."

The dryad shivered, "I have lived in this world since before the time of Jadis, the White Witch. But times have changed... A greater evil has entered the land. It calls the evil creatures to it, building an army. And they say that it has called forth the ghosts of the dead to join."

My eyes widened, "It's brought back the dead?"

"I do not know... there are only whispers between us trees," She whispered. "But they say that the body of our great Guardian was stolen."

"Stolen?" I felt the hairs on my neck rise, "B-But... I'm standing right here."

The dryad approached me cautiously. No one stopped her. And when she saw that we didn't reach for any weapons, she reached out. Her entire form was made of tree leaves. Her fingers brushed against my cheek, I nearly gasped at how soft she was. How gentle and kind her touch was.

But it was the dryad who gasped, "There is no evil in you. You are the Guardian!"

I nodded, too confused to speak.

"Then you have returned?" The dryad fluttered back to her tree and danced around the trunk. She laughed happily and loudly, "The King and Guardian have returned!"

"So you have known of my absence?" Edmund asked, "How long has it been since I departed?"

"Only four days your highness," She stopped dancing, "But **much** has changed. Your elder sister remains missing, Queen Lucy survived an assassination attempt just two days ago, and High King Peter continues to seek the Guardian without logic. His encampment is not far from here."

"W-What?!" Edmund threw his arms in the air, "Lucy? Dear Aslan, is she alright?"

"Did they catch the assassins?" I demanded, furious. How dare they. How dare these _shadows_ try to kill Lucy. What the hell did they want with her? With Susan? Why did these magical beings want former rulers? I didn't understand... Why hadn't they taken Caspian? Or Vicern? The current Lords of the people.

The dryad's voice was soothing, I felt a sense of calm rush through my body. It stopped trembling- I hadn't even been aware that my body shook until her words made it end. "She was unharmed, the Telmarine King killed the woman. They say that a woman, a stranger to the capital and unknown to any citizen both Narnian and Telmarine, had broken into Queen Lucy's sleeping chambers. They say she was a witch... For she opened the locked door easily, no sign of violence. The door simply... opened. The Telmarine King stabbed her before the wicked woman could use her knife."

"Oh... my..." I ran over to Edmund and hugged him. "It's okay, _she's_ okay Ed. Caspian saved her. We need to send them word to join us at Cair Paravel-"

"Cair Paravel?" Ed's voice didn't sound too confident anymore. But learning that your sister had nearly been killed didn't exactly help.

"We can't reunite with the others at the Telmarine castle anymore," I shook my head quickly. "Hell no. Don't you see? It's not safe anymore. The shadows... spirits... whatever they are can get inside. No, we need somewhere safe... Our home, our Cair Paravel."

Edmund nodded his head, but was too upset to answer.

"Dryad, may we request your help?" I asked desperately.

"Of course my Queen," She walked casually around the trunk of her tree. I assumed it brought her a sense of comfort, because she wouldn't stop moving. She was restless. We were restless. Narnia was restless.

I ignored the title- did they really not care that Peter and I weren't even married? I was just a Princess, not a Queen. But it would have been pointless to argue, we didn't need to waste time. "Thank you. Could you please give High King Peter and his troops the message that King Edmund has returned. He has news of Susan's whereabouts and shall meet them at Cair Paravel."

"Make sure you tell the commanding officers, not just Peter please," Duke added. "I don't trust his judgements with his current state of mind. They'll be able to encourage him to return to Cair Paravel."

"And don't mention that the rest of us are here, only Edmund." I paused to think. "Ah! Please, find a bird to send a message to Lucy and Caspian."

"Caspian? The Telmarine King?" The dryad sounded surprised. But it was hard to tell, her voice was so light now.

"Yes, he is an ally." I assured her, "He is the Narnian king now too, please understand. He will ensure that there is peace and Narnians will have their former happiness."

"Yes, my Queen." The dryad dipped her head, "What shall the bird say?"

"That the two of them are to join Edmund and Peter at Cair Paravel immediately," I sighed. "My friend, my dear dryad, you must be the only one who knows that I have returned. We must not risk such news spreading. The evils may learn of it before we have a defense ready."

"As you wish, my Queen." The dryad flew into her branches and disappeared. We all looked up for a few moments, silent. I hope she would be able to complete her tasks... She was a wise and kind tree.

Then, Will spoke, "So if we're going to Cair Paravel instead of the Telmarine castle... How long will it take to get there?"

"If we walk tonight with just two hours of sleep we can be there early afternoon tomorrow," Edmund shrugged his back pack off. Placing it in front of him, he bent over and unzipped it. Extracting a heavy jacket he advised, "You all better wrap up. It's autumn here in Narnia, the nights are getting chilly."

"Aye," I muttered. We all took our jackets from our bags and put them on. With my black jacket on, I pulled the backpack on again. "Let's get moving then."

"Hey," Will frowned at me.

"What?" I frowned back.

"Why are you cold? Shouldn't your flame or whatever keep your warm?"

"I... I don't have my magic," I said slowly. I hadn't even considered my magic. Why hadn't my witch abilities returned? My fire came when Narnia needed me. And Narnia did... So where was the fire? I started to hyperventilate.

Fight without magic?

Fight spirits with fire?

Face evil without strength?

Oh... I can't. I'm too weak. I'm too **human**!

How could I save everyone and everything I loved? I would **fail**. I would leave this world to die. And who knows? The spirits could move onto other worlds. With this much power and no Guardians to stand in their way, they would devour world after world. They would go to my original world... They would slaughter my family. My friends. My everything.

"KAY!" Someone screamed at me.

And suddenly, I found myself standing in the middle of a cold night at the top of grassy hill. Edmund Pevensie held my shoulders firmly and kept his eyes at my level, they stared into my frightened ones.

"Relax," He ordered. "Don't lose your cool. We need you here, focused."

"My..." I began to breathe quickly again, "My... m-magic..."

"Calm down," Ed gave me a shake. "You're going to be alright. No, _everything_ is going to be alright."

"But-"

"Your magic didn't return right away last time," Ed reminded me. "Only after you met Caspian and the centaurs. Give it time, I'm sure it will come to you. I know it must be scary for you... but just have patience."

He was right. When was Edmund ever wrong? I was being a coward! How could I just expect my fire to return immediately? It never came when called... It came when fate determined. And yes, even though my heart been ripped to shreds, I respected fate. And yes, even though I had been murdered, I believe in fate. How could I be so foolish? Had fate not healed my heart? Had fate not made me stronger? Had fate not given me life... twice?

Fate.

An enemy and ally. One that I would respect and not question. Why?

Fate desired Susan's rescue. Fate desired Peter's sanity. Fate desired victory.

I could feel it in my bones.

"Y-You're right," I removed Edmund's hands and nodded, "Let's start walking then."


	40. Chapter 39

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**Chapter 39**

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"Okay," I grumbled, "A little bit of fire _would_ be nice!"

"Now who's complaining?" Will laughed.

"I'm not complaining," I elbowed him. "I'm simply offering my commentary. That's all."

"Well don't," Duke shot me a nasty look. "Because it's just reminding me how that it's freaking freezing."

"I swear, my nose is about to fall off," Alyssa cried.

"Naw, it's my toes. They went numb half an hour ago," Will put his arm around Alyssa's torso as they walked.

"I want some nice chocolate, made by Kayla's mom," Duke shivered. "Well, it's been nice knowing you all... I never thought I'd die by freezing."

Suddenly Edmund threw his arms up and shouted to the heavens, "**Americans!"**

"Oi," I pushed him from behind. "I'm half English."

"Not anymore, you'll full Yank again," Edmund didn't even stumble.

I rolled my eyes and walked alongside him. We had traveled for five hours and had yet to stop. No one needed a bathroom break and we were all too proud to ask for a rest. The first person to ask to stop almost seemed to lose a bit of ego I guess.

"What time is it?" Alyssa asked bashfully, "I forgot to buy a watch."

Us four glanced at our own wrists.

"Three in the morning," Duke answered first.

He was right, my watch proved how ridiculous the hour was.

"Okay," I gave in, "I'll say what we all want to say. It's time for those two hours of sleep."

Duke instantaneously collapsed onto the grass below, "YES! Thank you Jesus!"

"Is there even a Jesus?" Will tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"I'm not even getting into this discussion," I announced. "I'm sleeping and that's the end of the story."

"I'll take first watch," Edmund offered. Of course he would volunteer so graciously, it was just his nature. "Who would like to go next? Four of us can take a half hour each and one of us can get all four hours to sleep."

"I'll go second," I said.

"Third," Duke announced.

"And fourth," Will finished dutifully. "Alyssa should take all four hours, she's half-dead on her feet-"

"Not true-" She began to protest.

"I know you wanted to ask for a rest after three hours of walking," I cut her off with a smile. "It's okay. You're stronger than I was during my first time in Narnia, so don't feel bad or anything. It's tough being forced to be manly out in the wilderness."

Alyssa didn't say anything, but her face expressed her gratitude. She simply stopped walking, slid off her backpack, and laid on the floor, using it as a pillow. Will pulled out a thin blanket from his own bag, lay beside her, and put it over the two of them. Duke and I watched the entire thing.

I sighed and began to pull off my own backpack. My feet were bruised and exhausted, my brain wanted to shut off for a few hours, and I wasn't about to decline that request.

"Kaaaaaylaaaa!" Duke sang my song teasingly.

"What?" I moaned, "What do you want?"

"Sleep with me?" He paused, "In a non-sexually way of course."

"You just want my blanket," I said smartly.

"Pretty much yes," He admitted readily. "I didn't have room in my bag, I'm carrying a lot of food."

"Okay, come snuggle with me." I got on the floor with blanket in hand. The grass was slightly damp, the mist had already rolled into Narnia. This was a good sign though, it meant we were closer to the ocean and therefore Cair Paravel. I couldn't wait to see my old home- to look and challenge the ocean especially. I hadn't seen the ocean since the time Edmund and I nearly lost our lives in it. But Duke had helped me overcome this fear. Duke made me strong again.

I smiled as he slid under the blanket with me, but made no move to invade my personal space. "'Night Kayla, sweet dreams."

"Thanks Duke," I said softly.

He turned his head so that we looked at one another. "For what?" He whispered, sensing this was a private conversation. That's what I loved about him, he knew me. He understood me. I needed his goofy self in my life. He was the light in my dark times, my best friend.

"For everything," I leaned forward and kissed the tip of his nose. "Good night."

I closed my eyes but I could still see the grin on his face.

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A hand tapped my shoulder, "Kay, it's your turn for watch."

My eyes open and closed several times before I finally woke up fully. Edmund was crouching besides me with a sympathetic smile and I forced myself to sit up. He helped pull me to my feet, even hold me upright as I swayed slightly from exhaustion. Duke rolled over in his sleep, even releasing a snore.

Edmund had to cover his mouth to keep himself from sniggering as he walked a few feet away. He pulled out his own blanket before laying on the grass, leaving me to guard our group. I shivered as I stood there, already missing the heat I had received from Duke's body.

It was strange, I was an engaged woman and yet I shared a bed with another man... Well, kinda. I don't really see how a patch of grass is a bed, but whatever. I couldn't help but think about Peter's expression if he saw me laying there next to Duke-

Peter. Oh, my darling Peter.

A lump formed in my throat, I wanted to let out a sob. But I managed to restrain myself, not wanting to wake the others. Slowly and quietly, I slid away from the resting teenagers. There was a rather large rock half a dozen feet away from our little encampment. I sat on it and discovered it was warm. Obviously, Edmund had sat here just seconds before.

I pulled my legs in and rested my chin on my heightened knees. My arms were wrapped around my legs. At least I could keep some heat in this way. My eyes did a routine check on the landscape around me. Only mist and sky... And some trees of course. It was nearly impossible in Narnia to settle in one place and _not_ have trees around you.

"Peter..." I whispered his name, as if it were a holy word. I missed him, I really did. I was homesick for him... And worried. He suffered while I sat here, perfectly unharmed. Sure, I missed him. Sure, my heart was pained. But it was nothing compared to what he felt right now. Peter probably thought he had lost me, and this time, permanently. He didn't know that Aslan had plans to bring me back. All he knew is that I had vanished... In the middle of a stupid, pointless fight.

I swear, I would never fight with him again.

"I promise," I spoke into my knees quietly, "I promise that I will never fight with him again."

It was horrible, we had lost one another in such a moment of hate. How could we fight like that? How could we let our pride and ego ruin our love? How could I be such an idiot?!

My arms tightened around my legs. I wouldn't sit here and think like this. The past was the past and I would fix this mistake. I would fix **us.** In several hours we would be at Cair Paravel and soon after I would be with Peter again.

I didn't know how I would fix him, get him back to the regular, sane Peter... But I would find a way. I had to, I loved him with all my heart. I loved with with all my soul and being.

The thirty minutes went by slowly, but I didn't mind. It gave me time to simply relax my mind, I didn't think about the problems in my life. I didn't think about my fear for Susan. I didn't think about my yearning for Peter. I didn't think about my worry for Lucy. I didn't think about my parents or sister. I just simply watched the mist, content and alive.

Duke smiled at me as I woke him up, and it made me smile too. I don't know how he did it, being so happy all the time, but I was grateful to have him in my life. If I had never came to Narnia... If I had never met Peter or even Edmund... I know that I would have married Duke. I _know_ for a fact that I could have had a perfectly happy and peaceful life with him. But fate had different plans for the two of us, but thankfully didn't tear us apart completely.

"I kept the bed warm for you," Duke joked as he stood up and I took his place under the blanket.

"Thanks," I chuckled before losing myself to sleep again.

Oh yes, I was lucky to have Duke.

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The sun was still hiding when we began walking again. We moved with greater speed, having two hours of sleep had given us some energy. But our limbs were now stiff and sore, I knew Alyssa would have cried if she wasn't so proud. She was an athlete and tough... but in the water. On land, she was weaker, but she stayed strong. I admired her determination and mental will. Not once did she complain as we continued to trudge along.

Will groaned from time to time in pain, but thankfully didn't voice his complaints. I think he was trying to be strong for Alyssa, he never let go of her hand. It was as if he pulled her along, urging her to continue. The sight of their union and combined courage inspired me.

Duke and Edmund walked at my sides. We all didn't speak, all too tired or lazy to make small talk. What was the point anyways? Duke and Edmund weren't dumb, they knew the gravity of the situation. We needed to be smart and that took a lot of thinking. I knew they were pondering strategies and ideas in their heads. I left that sort of thinking up to them. I had never been the military leader, just a soldier who followed orders.

"How many more hours?" Will asked after what seemed like fifteen minutes to me. But then as I came out of my zoned out state, I realized that the sun was high in the sky. I had been oblivious to reality for several hours straight. A quick look at my watch told me that it was nearly one in the afternoon.

"We should be there within the hour," Edmund assured Will. "Do you need a break?"

Will looked down at Alyssa (he was at least a foot taller than her), "Need to rest babe?"

She smiled, "No... I can make it."

"You heard her," Will grinned at Ed. "We keep moving."

"How about you Kayla? Need a rest?" Duke questioned me in concern.

I shook my head, "Thanks, but I'm doing alright. Sore and tired as hell, but alright."

"That makes two of us," Duke laughed.

"They're doing fairly well," Ed spoke about Will and Alyssa who were now talking cheerfully to one another. They walked several feet behind us and didn't seem to hear us speak.

"Mentally or physically?" I asked.

"Both," Ed rolled his eyes. "I mean... they've handled the world-crossing well. They didn't faint or run around screaming their heads off."

"Always a good sign," I said lightly.

Ed chose to ignore my sarcasm, "And they haven't slowed us down too much, we've kept a decent pace. I honestly thought we wouldn't make it until nightfall... Not with them traveling with us."

"Well," Duke sighed. "You should have given them more credit. Alyssa was dead serious when she said we're here to help. And we're all athletes, we all know the importance of doing your part in a team."

"That's true," I murmured. "I didn't even think about that."

"What can I say? I'm just an insightful person," Duke pretended to swoon.

"Oh, it's good to have you back," Edmund chuckled. "Even if you are a yank."

And so began to the immature and strange banter of manhood. I zoned out for the rest of the walk, refusing to listen to Edmund and Duke speak about who knows what. Men laughed at the strangest things! I thought about Peter... About all the sweet things he had done for me.

On some mornings he would surprise me with a dozen roses at my bedside when I woke up. He would cancel meetings simply to walk with me through the gardens. He would kidnap me from the library to the stables where we would take the horses for a gallop. If he heard me crying in bed he would wake me up from my nightmare and hold me until I fell asleep again.

He would take care of me. He would love me. He would adore me.

"Dude, she's gone."

"When did we lose her?"

"Who knows, probably when I started telling about that time with the freshman in the janitor's closet. Kayla hates that story-"

I snapped back to reality, "You pervert! She just asked you where room 203 was! Not for a tour of your mouth!"

Duke and Edmund beamed at me.

"Welcome back to Earth-" Duke paused, "Erm, I mean, Narnia."

"You looked very happy in your daydreaming," Ed teased. "What were you thinking about?"

"You two falling off a cliff," I answered completely serious.

"We love you too," Duke said bitterly.

"Yeah well-" I began, then froze. That smell! That **glorious** smell!

My whole body reacted to it.

"THE SEA!" I exclaimed joyfully, taking off. The backpack slowed me down, but not by much. I was too merry, too relieved, too grateful for the smell. I ran through alongside the river as it turned around a bend, the trees disappearing behind me.

There it was.

Across the large field of grass and sunshine was the great ocean cliffs. There stood the ruins of Cair Paravel. Even in its state it was beautiful. Lovely. Home.

I breathed heavily from my sprint, but didn't stop moving. I no longer ran, but my legs moved swiftly.

"KAY!" I heard Alyssa calling from a distance behind me. I didn't stop moving though.

"Where did she-" A gasp. "Holy shit."

I didn't even blink at Will's language. My feet kept going.

"Wow..." Duke whistled. "Imagine what she looked like when she was still standing. She must have been huge."

I was nearly halfway across the field.

"Kay, wait, there could be traps inside!" Edmund's voice called out.

Even though it was difficult, I made myself stop moving. My chest rose deeply as I tried to bring my breathing back to regular pace. My head seemed dizzy with excitement and too much oxygen. I didn't look back as I waited for them to catch up. Only when Duke reached my side did I tear my eyes away from the broken walls of my former home.

"Hey," I greeted softly.

"You were going turbo speed there," Duke put his arm around my shoulders. "I got worried there, thought we had lost you."

"Which would have been a bad thing," Edmund growled marching up. "Don't you remember what the dryad said? There are rumors that the Shadows came here."

He didn't say the words 'to steal your body' but he might as well have. We all thought them in our heads at the same moment. I felt goosebumps rise on my arms, even though they were warm from the bright and comforting sun above.

"I'm sorry," I sighed, "I wasn't thinking... I just got excited."

"It's alright," Ed motioned towards the castle, "Let's go, but stay aware. It could be a trap... I don't think they're still here though, otherwise they would have already shot some arrows. They'd have archers posted at the ready. Cair Paravel was always a good defensive structure."

"A-Arrows?" Alyssa gulped, "This war suddenly just got real."

"It's different to talk about it than to go through it," I agreed.

"Come on," Will squeezed her hand. "Just keep your eyes open."

We approached the castle ruins slowly but found that they were deserted. It was quite the trek up the steep incline to get to the ruins, but we all made it. The road that had once been used daily by wagons and carts had long been ruined. Grass and wild plants covered the surrounding area. The front courtyard's stones weren't visible under the greenery. The pillars at the front entrance had crumbled, only two stumps of the original eight remained. And then we entered what would have been the Great Hall.

I felt tears fall.

"Oh..." I couldn't even speak. The horror! Had the Telmarines no mercy? They had not overtaken Narnia, they had slaughtered it. They had absolutely destroyed it. My home had been torn down and left to rot away.

"The thrones are still up there," Edmund had taken me away from Duke's arm. His hand had found its way into mine. He pulled me along gently, not letting me fall away. We walked up the length of the Great Hall. Where my eyes saw sky, my mind saw stained glass windows. Where my eyes saw trees, my mind saw the pillars of the hall. Reality and memory clashed as I followed behind Edmund.

We came to a stop and I stared at the remains of the once great thrones. It was pitiful how little and cracked the stone was.

"Monsters," I cried. "The monsters!"

"Caspian will make things better," Edmund kissed my temple. "He is a good man, he will bring back the glory of Narnia."

"As he sits at that hideous castle," I retorted. "This castle was once a diamond, a rarity, a beauty. And this is what the Telmarines and time has done to it?"

"Don't be angry," Ed whispered. "It's the past, we will make a new home for ourselves. Just let it go... Let it all go."

I exhaled the breath I hadn't realized I been holding.

I let go.

A great weight lifted off my shoulders, a great weight of anger. The hot, furious tears stopped falling from my eyes. The tightness of my fists released. My body simply relaxed and my mind stopped buzzing.

"Are you...?" Edmund kissed my temple again.

"I'm fine," I embraced him, "I'm okay."

"Good," He said seriously, "Because I want to show you something."

"What?"

"Your tomb."


	41. Chapter 40

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**Chapter 40**

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"I..."

"We need to find out if the rumors are true," Edmund murmured.

"I know but... I can't do this," I pushed my face deeper into his neck, "I can't look."

"Kayla-" Duke began to say.

"No! I'm not looking!" I shouted into Edmund's shoulder.

"It's very beautiful," Will noted. "The intricacy of the sculpture of the marble is very impressive."

I groaned, "Will?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up!" I snapped. "It's my bloody tomb. Not some art display."

"Kayla just-" Duke started to speak again.

"Don't 'Kayla' me," I warned refusing my lift my head away from the safety of Edmund's body. "I'm not going to check if my body is in there."

"I'll do it," The only other female spoke up. Alyssa sighed, "I may not be the toughest and most muscular out of us... But I'm brave enough to check my best friend's tomb. I'm not going to make her do this... So Duke, be quiet."

"Brave girl," Ed whispered to me.

I only covered my ears after that, afraid to hear the horrified scream of my friend. What would she see? The dusty skeleton of a young woman? The tattered and insect eaten remains of a once regal and silk robe? The dirty and rotten teeth of a corpse? I braced myself for a scream.

But nothing.

Cautiously, I let my hands drop away from my ears. "W-What's going on?" I asked, terrified of the answer.

"It's empty," Alyssa's voice announced. She didn't even seem frightened, let alone grossed out. In my shock, I stepped away from Edmund and took my first look at my tomb.

And it made me gasp.

Maybe it was the way the sunlight hit the marble. Maybe it was the way the ocean breeze twirled the leaves around the foundation. I will never know what made that frightening tomb the most beautiful thing I ever seen in my life.

The marble was white and still bright, as if freshly made and set. It glittered and shined almost blindingly in the Narnian sun. It seemed to have a heavenly glow. This glow illuminated the carving of a lovely young woman. The tomb's cover had been slid slightly off the actual box bottom of the tomb. An opening just large enough for a skeleton to slid through let the sunshine escape beneath this displaced cover.

The woman lay on her back with her arms crossed onto her chest. The artist had carved her so... softly. Even though she was made of stone, she looked smooth and gentle. Her hair was long and laid spread out around her head, forming a halo. Her dress was long and covered her feet. The style was simple and of a true Narnian fashion. But what interested me most was the woman's hands.

Or rather, what her hands held.

"Is-" I cleared my throat nervously, "Is that a flower?"

"Yes," Edmund wrapped his arms around my torso from behind. He held me tenderly, like a brother who was ready to carry his sickly sister to her bed. "Are you alright?"

"I'm not going to faint," I assured him. "I'm... actually okay with this."

"Really?" Duke laughed nervously, "Because I'm totally freaking out here. I think I'm close to fainting myself."

Will moved closer to Duke, "Don't worry, I've got your back."

Duke rolled his eyes, "I was kidding man."

"Okay," Will said, but didn't move away.

I smiled at their antics and turned back to the tomb, "What kind of flower is it?"

"You don't recognize it?" Edmund released me and walked up to the tomb. He stayed on the side opposite from the opening. Alyssa still stood on that side, but she wasn't looking inside, instead she was peering curiously at the flower too.

"It's a Jordue flower isn't it?" Alyssa said in wonderment. "It's so pretty!"

"It's what saved our country," Ed smiled. "A weed... But not in my eyes."

I took a few steps forward, testing my emotions. But I didn't feel fear.. Just puzzlement. This entire situation was quite odd. Here I stood, perfectly alive and healthy, inspecting my tomb. How many people had this opportunity? Satisfied that I wasn't going to snap and break down, I finally approached the tomb.

Up close, I had even more awe for it. The details of the woman's face were extraordinary. Her nose was perfectly carved, no niches or abnormal slopes visible. Her lips were flawless, closed peacefully with a slight tug on the corners, as if the woman were smiling. Was she happy in heaven? Was she happy in the world of the dead?

Suddenly, I realized something.

"That's not me," I took a step away from the stranger made of stone. "Who is she?"

A silence ensued.

Then, snorting. It came from Will, "Are you kidding me? That's definitely you."

I crossed my arms, "That is **not** me."

"It is Kayla," Duke tipped his head and inspected the woman some more, "She's a bit older than you, but those are totally your lips."

"And that's your smile," Alyssa courageously reached out and touched the lips. "They're yours."

"Ed?" I said in doubt, "Who is she?"

He rubbed the back of his neck with a strained expression, "I... Yes, it's you."

"But how-"

"I had this arranged for you," Ed cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. "I had them, erm, age you a little bit. I knew that the rest of us would keep growing and... well, I didn't mean to leave you behind. I didn't want to have people remember you as a girl... You were a woman to me. And I wanted the world to see you as one too."

I gaped at Ed.

He coughed, "I'm sorry if that was too forward of me-"

"That's so touching," I broke in and grinned. "Always the sensitive one, aren't you?"

Ed's ears turned bright red. His eyes narrowed, "Oh do shut up already."

"Sissy," Duke sniggered.

"Shut it!" Ed snapped, "If it had been you, you would have put her in a bikini."

"Hell yeah," Duke sighed dreamily.

"EW!" Alyssa grabbed a stone off the floor and threw it Duke. Her water polo skills served her well, because the pebble hit Duke right in the chest. He didn't flinch though, but continued to grin shamelessly.

"You're going to hell man," Will shook his head sadly.

"See you there," winked Duke.

I gave my friends strange looks, "Okay... Before this conversation turns even more strange, because we are talking about my tomb here, I'm going to go set up a fire. I'm hungry and I want some hot food."

At the sound of 'food' Duke and Will raced off back to the Great Hall where we had left our backpacks. Alyssa breathed in deeply, "Boys..."

"I'm the only real man here," Ed muttered. "Even if I am sensitive."

Feeling guilty now, I gave Ed a peck on the cheek. "Thank you, it is more than anything I could have wished for. I don't know how you do it, but you make not only life beautiful, but death too."

He gave me a small smile, "Now who is the sensitive one?"

"You're both softies," Alyssa declared. We all laughed and made our way back to the hall. Duke and Will were already unpacking the bags, discussing different options for the meal.

"I feel like having soup," Duke suggested.

"Uh, it's warm right now. We're at the beach too," Will argued. "How about just warming up the chicken?"

"Or how about-"

"Chicken sounds fine," Alyssa cut in. "Is that okay with you two?"

Edmund nodded, "Sure, Pete and his group should arrive with supplies anyways. We'll have more options then."

"Chicken it is!" I smiled, a little bit relieved to be away from the tomb. It had been just... weird and wrong to be there. Yes, it was scary at first, but then, just strange. Awkward even. Having it out of sight and out of topic was good.

Alyssa took care of the meal. We gathered wood from the trees around us and piled it together. Duke managed to get a fire going on his second match from the match box. The Alyssa gave us all a decent sized piece of chicken, which we stuck on a stick and held over the fire. It was like roasting marshmallows for smores... but obviously not.

"Are we going to tell ghost stories?" Will asked in good nature.

"It's daytime," I giggled, "We'll save the camp fire stories and songs for a night."

"Alright," Will conceded. "But seriously, how surreal is this? We're sitting around a fire in the middle of castle ruins on the edge of a cliff. We're in a country that shouldn't logically exist and we're waiting for a King! Imagine that, a real King!"

"A real King is sitting right next to you," Ed reminded the modern teenager.

"Oh, yeah," Will took a bite of his cooked chicken. "Sorry, it's hard to see you as a King. You're just... Edmund."

"Edmund, the boy from World War II," Alyssa mused. "This is seriously surreal."

"You get used to it," Duke shrugged.

I raised an eyebrow, "Look at you, Mr. Experience."

"What? It's true, I've been there, done that."

"And we've done it twice," I challenged.

"Talk to the hand," Duke brightened. "No wait, talk to the chicken!"

Ed groaned, "I've forgotten how immature young adults are."

I sighed, "Try acting your body's age Ed, you've got to loosen up. Being an adult when you're treated like a child must be frustrating... And way I see it, you're having a second shot at being young. Take advantage of it."

"I know," Ed chewed and swallowed some of his lunch. "It's just hard sometimes. You know?"

"Actually, I wouldn't know," I pointed out. "But I can imagine."

CLICK.

I jumped at the sound, "Was... Was that a camera?"

"Sorry," Alyssa said. "I know you guys warned against modern technology, but I don't see how a digital camera is going to do any harm. Even if the Shadows got it, I doubt a possessed camera would bring utter destruction and doom... Unless this is some science fiction horror."

I stared as did the others. And then I promptly started to crack up, "Wow, you're great Alyssa. But try not to let the natives here see the camera okay?"

"Alright," She agreed and proceeded to take some more photographs. We sat around the fire happily, talking as if we didn't have a major crisis at our hands. But, it was nice to act like a normal group of friends for once.

Unfortunately, these sort of things don't last long.

"Do you hear that?" Edmund tensed, listened, and then dropped his chicken. Thankfully, I managed to catch it before it touched the dirty ground below.

"What?" I hissed, annoyed that I had to save his food. It wasn't like we had an unlimited amount of food here! Every little bit counts!

"Horses!" Ed jumped to his feet and ran to the edge of the ruins to overlook the field. "They're here!"

"Who?" I carefully put the chicken down and got up.

Ed lifted his arm, "Wait, Kay stay out of sight for right now. It's Peter."

I froze in place, "Oh."

Duke stood up, having already finished his meal, and took me by the arm, "We'll be waiting over by the Treasury entrance. Have a talk with Peter first, get a sense of his mindset. I don't want him hurting Kay, thinking she's some ghost or something crazy."

"Wow, you've thought this through huh?" Alyssa blinked.

"Yeah, we were talking about it on the way here," Ed answered. "Actually, you all stay here. I'll go down to meet him."

"Okay," I said hoarsely, sitting back down. Well, more like falling back down. Duke stayed next to me, standing though. His body was stiff and stationed protectively in front of me.

"Should we put out the fire now?" Will asked suddenly just as Ed disappeared down the footpath we had made on our trekking.

"No," Alyssa mumbled, "Just leave it Will."

We sat there in silence, unsure of what to do or say. I don't know about the others, but I wasn't nervous. I wasn't... I was excited. Peter would come up that roughly made path and into my arms. I didn't care if he was sane or not. He was **my** Peter, no matter what.

"How are you?" Duke inquired, concerned as usual.

"I'm perfectly fine," I made myself stand up again. "I need to see him, I need to help him. Don't hold him back okay?"

"He could hurt you-"

"And I'm more than able to defend myself," I countered. "Duke, you can fight now, I know you've been taking some fight classes, but I'm still the soldier here."

"Yeah," Duke patted my shoulder. "I don't doubt that, I know he can't hurt you physically... But I was talking about emotionally. He might say things he doesn't mean."

I was taken aback by that, "Oh, I see."

"Do you?"

No, I hadn't seen that. I hadn't considered that Peter's lack of sanity might cause him to say harmful things. Although, now that I had fair warning, I knew not to take any of his words to heart. Unless, he told me wonderful, normal things like, "I love you..." Things I had missed.

"Okay," I nodded confidently. "I'm ready."

"So," Alyssa played with her hair absently, "This is it. I'm finally going to meet the famous High King Peter. Is he really as handsome as you say Kay?"

"Yes," I laughed.

"Well," Alyssa lifted her chin. "I'll be the judge of that."

Before I could reply, voices filled the air.

"Ed, she can't be here," A very familiar man scoffed. "She's back at the castle with Lucy and Caspian-"

"She's here," Edmund said calmly. "She brought her friends, like I told you."

"Oh really? So she did make some friends at the castle!"

"No!" Ed sounded like he wanted to smack his elder brother. "Her friends from her world. You know, our world? But in her time?"

"That's silly," Peter laughed. I shivered as I stood there, because I didn't recognize the laugh. It didn't belong to the man I loved. It belonged to a stranger, a crazed and energetic stranger. Peter's laugh was warm and sincere, not cold and condescending. "Ed, you know very well that Kay wouldn't bring her friends, she wouldn't want them to get hurt!"

The voices were very close now.

"Just talk to her Pete," the younger King pleaded. "Hear her story, hear her just talk."

"Alright, but she's not here."

And it was then that Peter came into view. He looked exactly the same, except there was a gauntness to his face now. His hair was the same sandy blonde. His skin was the same tanned smoothness. His tunic was the same Narnian attire. But his cheeks were more defined now, more visible. His face had lost its healthy glow and roundness, he reminded me of a skeleton. His eyes were dull and foreign to me. His smile was false and pretentious.

Peter saw me and stumbled in step.

We stared at one another.

Then, I lifted my hand and waved, "Hi Peter. We need to talk."


	42. Chapter 41

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**Chapter 41**

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**Hello! I'm back!** Yes, it has been a while. I'm very sorry you guys, but I was out of the country for Easter break. So, I didn't have time to write. Well, not on a computer at least. I did write most of this chapter on a plane... Hurrah! See? I am a dedicated writer! Anyways, it's very good to be back. I hope the wait didn't kill anyone...

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"Can we have some privacy please?" I asked, glancing around. Will and Alyssa looked immediately to Duke, they already had viewed him as a leader. They would follow his decision if Edmund and I weren't there.

"Hell no," Duke crossed his arms. "We're not leaving you alone with him."

"I need to talk to him," I whispered. "Please Duke, just for a few minutes. _Please._"

My friend stared at me, internally debating. But thankfully, my pleading expression won him over because he slowly nodded. "Two minutes."

Everyone retreated down the slope, obviously nervous about leaving me alone with Peter. Edmund was last to go and he kept his eyes set on his elder brother. His eyes were dark and full of warning... Obviously he wouldn't hesitate to stop Peter if he tried anything, even if it meant violence. Duke stomped down the slope and out of sight, clearly not happy with the situation. Normally, I would have laughed at his temper... But this was no time for laughing.

When they were gone, I looked back to Peter. He hadn't spoken a word or moved an inch. His expression had changed though from one of bewilderment to... Oh Aslan, I don't even know how to describe it. I had never seen Peter look like this. Then again, this wasn't _my_ Peter! Though he may be Peter in body, the man who stood in front of me was a stranger.

"P-Pete?" I spoke softly, meaning to test the waters.

The expression only darkened on the man. It was full of anger, that was for certain. But I couldn't decide whether it held confusion and fear... It seemed to, but then the dangerous glare of fury convinced me otherwise. I won't lie. It frightened me, so much that my arms exploded with goosebumps.

"Who are you?" His voice was deep and demanding. It caused me to take a step back in alarm. I hadn't expected such a response... It was so cool and calm. Everyone had told me about Peter's insanity. Insanity meant energy, strange blabber, and so on... I had never dealt with insanity before, I only knew what the movies back in my world presented it to be. So, for Peter to sound normal was strange. Could insanity be so... mundane?

"Do... Do you hate me?" I couldn't help but ask. The words just slipped out! Then, after realizing what I had just asked, I wish I hadn't spoken. Now, I was terrified of the answer.

The man's eyes narrowed, "Who are you? I won't ask again." His hand went down to his waist, moving closer to his sword. I shivered in place, recognizing the weapon. That sword had killed me once.

"It's me," I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Aslan sent me back to help you-"

"I don't need help," The reply was swift and cold.

"Susan is still missing," I reminded him.

"I **will** find her soon," The stranger growled. "And when I do, my _real_ fiance will return. Now, reveal your true identity or I will kill you."

Hearing Peter speak those words, even if he didn't really mean them, made my stomach drop. I bit my lip and looked away. What should I say? What would anyone say let alone do in this situation? I was completely at loss...

"You're frightened," He chuckled coldly. "Kay isn't weak like you. She's strong and fearless-"

"Idiot!" I snapped before I could stop myself. "I'm not so strong that I can't be afraid. I'm human, I feel fear. Especially when someone I care about is missing or the man I love is threatening to kill me _again!_ Snap out of it! Wake up! you **have** to wake up or-"

"Silence!" He roared, he didn't look angry anymore. He looked... crazed. A frightened, desperate sort of crazed. Were my words actually getting to him? Was he going to be okay?

"No," I raised my chin a bit higher. "You need to _listen._ For once, will you just listen? You're losing control Pete, you need to face reality. Do you hear me? Don't you dare retreat back into some _ridiculous _fantasy world you've conjured up in your head!"

"ENOUGH!" The sword was drawn.

"NO!" I screamed back, feeling empowered. "Peter, get it together! If you don't, everything will be lost! Narnia will fall! Susan will **die!** And hell, I'll probably die too-"

"You aren't anyone important! You're an imposter!" He leaped at me, without hesitation or thought. His form was horrible, aim off, and power uncontrolled. I dodged such a messy and careless mistake and his sword went crashing into the dirt below.

"PETER!" I hissed, "What the hell is wrong with you? It's **me!**"

"LIAR!"

"Narnian is in danger," I cried. "We need our High King back! We need-"

I quickly dived to the right, barely missing the lethal edge of the sword. My body rolled on the grass for several feet and I struggled to get back onto my feet. He had plenty of adrenaline, giving him much more energy and speed than me.

"**I** need you Peter," I screamed. "Please!"

He threw dow his sword, not happy with its performance. To my horror, he jumped at me with fists raised. He punched, but I ducked. His right leg flew through the air for a kick. I threw my body backwards, but not quickly enough. The boot caught me hard and directly in my stomach.

"Oof!" My gut erupted into pain. The kick knocked the air out of me, and as I tumbled to the ground I barely could get air into my lungs. My eyes watched as another foot came at me, but I managed to roll one inch away from where it landed. "S-Stop!" I wheezed. He didn't listen and kicked again. And then I realized something. I was fighting with Peter.

Fighting.

We were fighting.

Just hours ago, as I sat in the early hours of the morning keeping guard over the group, I had made a promise. I had promised not to ever fight with Peter again. I had opened my mouth and made that promise.

I wouldn't fight him. What did it matter? Peter wouldn't listen, because I had failed. I couldn't get through to him. I had failed Narnia and more importantly, I had failed Peter. And so, I would die. I knew I would die in this war, either from a broken heart or in battle. I couldn't live knowing that Peter was lost in insanity and hate. I couldn't survive battle when my fire had deserted me. So... I would die, that was certain. Only the timing of my death varied. Dying here didn't seem that bad. At least, in a twisted way, I would be with Peter again. Besides, it sounded like fate didn't it? Peter had killed me once, it only seemed fitting that he do it again.

So, I stopped fighting.

It hurt, there's not denying that. Damn, it **hurt.** But the pain was only physical, my heart and soul wasn't touched. Just my body faced the brutal attacks. My ribs screamed, my lugs burned, and my sides ached. I closed my eyes and tried to ignore it all, but it didn't work. In fact, the pain only worsened with each kick. Each attack sent more dizzying sensations to my brain, threatening to overtake my senses. Then... A miracle happened. The pain stopped.

Just like that, the pain ended. So suddenly. It wasn't until I woke up did I realize I had passed out, my body unable to cope with any more abuse.

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My face felt wet. Actually, my neck too. It was all so sticky and uncomfortable! I didn't like it one bit! It felt wrong.

"Ugh," I groaned distantly in protest. And then, as I began to come to my senses, the pain hit me. My entire body hurt. Everywhere, absolutely everywhere, hurt. I groaned again, but this time louder.

Someone whispered a soothing 'shhh'. It caught me off guard, but still was a welcoming sound. Obviously Pete hadn't killed me, I lived. And that made me happy.

"Why the _hell_ are you smiling?" The voice gasped, "Are you crazy?"

"D-Duke?" I mumbled.

"No, it's Santa!" He scoffed. "Can you open your eyes?"

Good question. After hearing it, I tried. My eyes fluttered for several seconds, not wanting to face reality again. But, then I did open my eyes. I found myself cradled in the arms of Duke, who sat against a stone wall. We were indoors, the light in the room came from torches a few feet above us. "W-Where are we?" I asked.

"Inside the treasury," Duke smiled. "It's pretty chilly outside, we thought it best for you to rest inside here. Plus, you needed some... space."

"Where's Pet-"

Duke's smile instantly turned into a snarl, "Don't even say his name!"

I gaped up, helpless in his arms. I couldn't even move, my body refused to because it would only hurt more. "What happened?"

"We'll talk about it later," He said lowly. "Right now, you just need to rest. You're in pretty bad shape."

Slowly, I lifted my neck a few inches and looked down. My clothes were in a right state, covered in dirt and grass. But Duke tugged my shirt up, revealing a horrible sight. My stomach had transformed from a light tan to a deep, disturbing purple. Bruises covered nearly all of my skin, from side to side. Then, I took in my limp arms. They had round and varying sized bruises as well, even a few cuts.

"Oh," I stared.

"**He** did this to you," Duke swore under his breath. "He should rot in prison, insanity is no excuse."

"He didn't mean to-" I tried to say.

"Kayla," Duke pulled my shirt back down and sighed deeply. "Please don't defend him, I can't watch from the sidelines anymore. I can't watch as he ruins your life time and time again."

"I love-"

"Love?!" My friend shook his head, "You're a stupid girl, you know that? But, I'll still take care of you. I love you Kayla... I don't think I'm _in_ love anymore, but there's still something about you... Something about you keeps pulling me towards you."

"Duke-"

"It's like you have me on a leash," Duke laughed quietly. "I don't mean that in a degrading way, it's just I have no other way to describe it. No matter how much it might help my heart to leave you, I just can't. I'll _always _be with you Kayla, you'll always have me."

"I-"

"Don't say 'sorry' or anything dumb," He warned. "That's how I feel and it's _my_ problem, not yours."

"Thank you," I mumbled. "I don't know what else to say, but I'm grateful to have you. You're the best friend I could ever have."

"Anytime darling," He winked. "Now, we should get some bandages on you. I would have done it sooner, but I didn't want to wake you up, you needed the rest."

"Okay," I leaned my head into his shoulder. "Since when are you a doctor?"

"Since never! I didn't say that I was going to put the bandages on... I'll go get Lu," Duke slowly began to pull his legs out from beneath me. Carefully, he let me fall to the floor below. Instead of feeling the cold stone, I found myself laying on top of a blanket.

"So yeah, just lay right there."

I laughed, genuinely, but then winced when it stung my ribs. "Where else am I going to go? I'm stuck here!"

As he walked away, I turned my head and glanced around. Instantly, I recognized the room as the Treasury of Cair Paravel. I was laying underground, in the midst of mountains and chests of golden, gleaming treasures. I turned my head the other way and discovered that I lay at the bottom of a very familiar chest.

My chest.

I couldn't help but grin at it. For over a year I hadn't seen my prized possessions and if I hadn't been injured, I would have gotten up and explored.

"Kay," A soft voice called out.

Slowly, I moved my neck again. "Hi Lucy!"

Lucy looked well, considering her life had nearly been ended by an assassin two days ago. She seemed tired though, her eyes looked darker and duller than usual. But she moved quickly and fluidly over to my side, her smile dazzled me. "I'm glad you're finally awake."

"When did you get here?"

"An hour ago," She answered, sitting down. In her hands were bundles of bandages. "Edmund says that we just missed the... accident."

Peter beating me up is called an accident? Wow.

"We?" I frowned.

"Caspian came with me," Lucy clarified. "Can you sit up?"

"I doubt it," I sighed. "Ouch! Just sighing makes it ache!"

"All right. I'll pull you up so that you can sit against your chest," Lucy put the bandages on the blanket. Wrapping her small arms around me, she managed to get my torso up. I hissed in pain, but eventually I was sitting up.

"Sorry!" Lucy gave me an apologetic look and then went ahead with the bandaging. She was gentle and patient, stopping whenever I cried out.

When she accidently pressed her finger against a bruise on my side, I yelped.

"Ah! Sorry! Sorry!" She bit her lip.

"C-Can't we just use your vial?" I asked, "One drop could just heal me!"

"I..." Lucy paused. "I'm not sure if that'll work, I've only used it in emergencies. Everyone's always been so close to death, but yes, the vial healed their wounds."

"One drop?" I begged. "I'll be no use against the Shadows unless I can fight! And in this condition I can't even sit up!"

"W-We're heading into a war, aren't we?"

I didn't lie to her, "Yes."

"Then we'll need our Guardian," Lucy declared solemnly. She reached into the shadow of her cape then withdrew the red vial. "Let's hope this works..."


	43. Chapter 42

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**Chapter 42**

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Hi again! I felt that with such an absence, you deserved another update now. To make up for the lost time! But please remember to...

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"KAYLA DON'T!"

I went ahead and did it.

"KAYLA CUT IT OUT!"

I stuck out my tongue and did it again.

"STOP WITH THE BACKFLIPS!"

I crossed my arms, "Duke! Stop being such a mother! I'm _fine!_"

"I've checked her," Lucy added but still giggling madly. "Her wounds are all healed."

Duke raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"Lucy gave me a drop of her lovely vial there," I explained and did a third backflip. I stopped though because I was beginning to feel dizzy. Then, I remembered something, "Duke?"

"Yes?" He managed to say through his frustration, which he was taking out on a patch of weeds below him with his foot.

"Were you..." I grinned, "Crying?"

Immediately, his foot stopped kicking. Duke looked up and glared, "No."

"Really? Because when I woke up I had salty water drops all over my face and neck."

"They weren't mine," Duke murmured. "They were _his_."

Both Lucy and I sobered at once, knowing exactly who the tears belonged to. The three of us stood at the bottom of the treasury chamber still, I hadn't stepped outside just yet. I had been too happy with my new health and had the sudden urge to do... well, backflips.

"What happened Duke?" I asked him. "Really, what happened?"

"Yes, I haven't been told either!" Lucy sniffed.

Duke gave us hard looks, but sat down on the stair with a sigh. "Right... Well, as you know Kay, the rest of us left you and Peter alone. Ed had to hold me back the entire time, I wanted to spy and make sure you were alright. We heard shouting, but couldn't make out the words. So, we got worried. You know how Will is on the track team? We were all running back to check things out, and with his talent he got there first. I'm pretty proud of him actually, because when he saw Peter holding you, a dead-looking you by the way, he tackled Peter away from you-"

"Will?" I gaped, horrified.

"Who knew the sissy had it in him!" Duke smiled, but it wasn't a sincere smile. "But yes, Will knew something was wrong with you, so he got Peter away from you."

"Didn't Peter fight him?" Lucy pointed out.

"No," Duke snorted. "Apparently, he's sane again."

I gasped and Lucy grabbed onto me, half in shock and half in happiness.

"I don't believe it," My friend snapped. "Not for a second. He may have Ed fooled, but the rest of us aren't buying it."

"I need to see him," I started to walk past Duke to climb the stairs. But a hand shot out and grabbed onto my ankle.

"I'm coming with you," He announced. "There's no way I'm leaving you alone with that nutcase again. Look what happened last time!"

"Fine," I shrugged. "Let's go then. It's no use staying down here anymore."

"Y-You should be careful," Lucy whispered, following us on the stairs. "Duke's right, he may not be the same Peter we love."

"I... I know."

We didn't say anything as we left the treasury behind. As we exited, I was surprised to find the cold, dark air of the night. It made me wonder how long I had been unconscious... But to be honest, I didn't want to know. Obviously I had been out for hours, well past dinner time, because the moon was high up in the sky already.

"Wow," I paused in step. "There's so many people!"

The once empty ruins were now covered with tents, campfires, blankets, animals, Narnians, and supplies. Obviously, Peter's group was quite large. But I noticed that no Telmarines had joined our party. I wondered where Caspian would be in all this chaos.

"Where's Caspian?"

"With Peter most likely," Duke put his arm around my shoulders. "He also believes that Peter has 'awoken' from insanity."

"Where's the head tent?"

"I'll take you there," Duke let his arm drop away, but then he held my hand. To my surprise, he reached out and held Lucy's hand too. She accepted without hesitation, also surprising me. I hadn't realized that Duke had founded such strong friendships with the others, having known them only for a short while. But clearly, I had missed a lot. The walk to the tent was a relatively short one, it had been set up in the castle gardens. The gardens had grown wild, the vines stretched out past the boundaries, weeds overwhelmed the land, and the pond had been destroyed. Obviously the Telmarines had destroyed the beauty here.

"Wait here," Duke pulled us to a stop. He let go of our hands and disappeared into the tent. I rolled my eyes but Lucy didn't seem to mind Duke's controlling nature. In fact, she seemed worried.

"Be careful," She reminded me.

"Alright," I assured her. We only had to wait for a minute before the tent flap opened. Out came Edmund, who had a bright smile on his face.

"Duke says you're healed!" He ran forward and lifted me up.

I laughed, "Yes, all thanks to Lu here."

"Not really," Lucy waved me off, modestly. "Thank Father Christmas."

"Makayla!" A heavy Spanish accent shouted my name, very pleased to see me. I looked over Ed's shoulder and saw Caspian peeking out of the tent. When we made eye contact, he walked out fully.

I bowed mockingly to him, "Hello King Caspian."

Caspian ignored the teasing and embraced me, "It is good to see you well."

"Thank you," I gasped. "And thank you! Thank you for saving Lucy while we were away-"

"You are all family," Caspian patted my shoulders, "There is no need for gratitude. And no time... Peter is inside. He is distraught-"

"Is Duke coming out?" I questioned, noticing Duke had yet to return outside.

"No, he's demanded that he remain inside with you, for your own 'protection' as he put it." Caspian grumbled.

"Peter and I agreed that it would be better if Duke was there," Edmund defended. "Just in case... Peter's frightened that he might lose control again. Kay, he's so sorry... He's... Well, I'll let you see for yourself."

"O-Okay," I said softly, and brushed past Caspian. My hand reached out and touched the tent, but I was nervous. Looking back, I was glad to see everyone smiling encouragingly at me. Having my friends there gave me the courage to pull back the flap and walk inside.

It was warmer in here, the candles' heat stayed trapped inside and lit up the small, but comfortable tent. A single table stood in the middle, with two chairs around it. Other than that, the tent was bare. Except, of course, for the two young men standing there.

Duke stood closest to me, ready to guard by my side when I entered. But it wasn't Duke that I stared at. My eyes rested on the blonde, lean man... Peter stood in the farthest corner of the tent, his arms crossed in front of his chest, and he almost seemed... Frightened?

"P-Pete?" I called out and began to move forward. A hand shot out and gently held me back.

"Give him some space," Duke murmured.

"Peter?" I tried again, ignoring Duke's words and taking another step forward. I stopped though, when I saw Peter take a step backwards. "W-Why are you over there?"

"I don't want to hurt you," Peter's voice said. And it truly was Peter's voice. It was soft and comforting, even when low and ashamed. The harsh, crazed edge to it had vanished. A sort of tenderness had returned.

"It's you!" I exclaimed, "It's really you!"

Without thinking, I rushed forward. I ran across the table and threw myself at Peter. His body was warm and solid, I wrapped my arms around his torso and pressed my cheek into his chest. "It's you... You're alright."

"Kayla!" Duke had jumped up in alarm and followed. I felt his hands grab the back of my shirt and begin to pull, "Kayla, seriously you need-"

"Stop Duke," I hugged Peter tighter. "Please, it's okay, see? He's fine!"

"Kay..." Peter whispered, "Maybe he's right, maybe you should-"

"You're not hurting me," I cut him off. "And I'm free to do whatever I want. And I choose to stand here, with you."

Slowly, arms slithered around my body. Finally, Peter embraced me in return. "I'm... I'm so sorry." I could feel his body shake slightly as he began to release emotion.

"It's okay-"

"No it's not," Duke broke in.

"Yes, it is!" I looked at Duke, "He wasn't in his right mind... Don't you understand how much trauma Peter has faced? He was thrown into another world and forced to lead. He killed me, while being controlled. He had to deal with my death for over _thirty years_ and then learn that I was actually alive and well. And then has to deal with losing me _again_. Do you blame him for becoming insane? Do you blame him for-"

"It's still not right," Peter mumbled. "I hurt you and that is inexcusable."

I groaned, "Everyone is making this more dramatic than necessary! Can we just move on with life? Can we just fix things and stop trying to keep things complicated? I'm so damn sick of all this drama and angst. We have a war to fight, once again!"

"But-" They both started to say.

"NO!" I threw my hands up as I stepped away from the two of them. "I'm done, you hear me? I'm finished! I'm finished with all these emotions and torturing myself. I'm finished with the drama. I just want to be with Peter, save Narnia, and live happily ever after. Got it?"

Duke rolled his eyes. "It's not that-"

"Don't argue," I pleaded. "Let's stop arguing. Let's stop all the fussing and just get things in order!"

"Fine," Peter said.

"WHAT?" Duke whipped around to face the King. "What's wrong with you two? Things aren't that simple. We have to deal with this problem, we can't just forget that you nearly beat her to death! We can't just forget-"

"Yes we can," Peter ran his hand through his hair. (I smiled to myself) "She's right, we've gone through so many ordeals... And each one we forced so much pain on ourselves. We're too deep sometimes. After losing her time and time again, I can't deal with anything else. She's right, we need to keep moving on instead of dwelling in the past."

"Dude, you guys-"

"Now that that's settled," I beamed. "Let's talk strategy. What's happening with the Shadows?"

"Holy crap, you're just as insane as him! I give up!" Duke shouted and stomped out of the tent, probably to get support from the others.

In his anger, Duke failed to realize that he had left me alone with Peter. But I was grateful for the privacy, because then I could finally say what I wanted to say.

"I love you."

Peter smiled, "I love you too... But Kay?"

"Yes?" I had hugged him again.

"Why didn't you fight back? I remember everything."

I paused, "It's... It's going to sound stupid."

"Well it was stupid not to fight me," He groaned. "When I saw you there, all bruised and hurt, I just snapped. It was like someone had just dumped a bucket of cold water over my head. I woke up, I had control again, and I don't know... Seeing you hurt just brought me back to reality. Next thing I knew, I was holding you in my lap, just crying."

"Oh," I whispered. That explained why I had tears all over my neck. "Well... I had made a promise to myself that I would never fight with you again. I'm such an idiot. I got mad at you and then I get sent back to my world, without saying goodbye, all because of my pride and ego. So, I promised that I wouldn't ever fight with you. It's not worth it."

"You fool," Peter chuckled. "You beautiful fool. Make a new promise, but this time promise to me."

"What's the promise?"

"Promise that you'll always fight back."

"Okay," I kissed him. "I promise."


	44. Chapter 43

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**Chapter 42**

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Wohoo, another update. _Please_ readers, REVIEW. It helps SO much when I receive feedback.

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"Everyone is staring," I mumbled, uncomfortable with the attention.

Peter squeezed my hand as we continued walking, "They are also smiling."

Risking a glance up and away from the ground, I saw that he was right. The Narnians were watching us pass by with pleased and content expressions. They obviously enjoyed watching their High King and me holding hands. Duke hadn't been happy, but after seeing my face beaming as I walked back out of the tent, he had allowed me to be alone with Peter. I had a feeling, judging by the bruise on his arm, that Edmund and Caspian had done some... ahem, _convincing_ on him.

"So, how are you feeling?" I asked, trying to get normal conversation flowing. I was beyond ecstatic to be here, walking along with Peter, hand in hand. He wasn't insane, he wasn't trying to hurt me, and he kept repeating the same thing over and over. In fact, he said it again.

"I love you," Peter leaned over and gave me a quick kiss on the temple.

My cheeks heated up, "That's not a proper answer."

"I'm feeling... alright," He sighed. "I have a slight headache and I'm still in shock, but it's starting to go away. Being with you again just makes me feel so alive and happy, you give me control. It's like you're my logic on legs."

I made a face, "Logic on legs? Jeez, thank you so much for that darling."

"You know what I mean," He chuckled. "It's like you give me hope. Now, I'd rather not say any more cheesy lines."

"Alright," I giggled. "So where we off to?"

"To the treasury, we need to get some tunics for you and Alyssa. As much as I enjoy seeing you in jeans and a dirty t-shirt, I'd rather have you wearing a Narnian tunic."

"I should have a few of my tunics and gowns in my chest," I said thoughtfully. "But I don't remember exactly what else I have in there besides my crown and jewels-"

"We should leave those sort of valuables there until the war is over," Peter leaned over and kissed my temple again.

"Are you sure you're feeling alright? You're very... affectionate."

"I thought I had lost you again, I haven't seen you in over a month, and we're at war," Peter tugged on my hand and I turned to look at him in confusion, only to have my head pressed back slightly as he roughly kissed me. As he pulled away, leaving my face bright red, he grinned, "I'm going to take advantage of having you back within my grasp again."

"Oh goody," I muttered, feeling embarrassed. My ears turned red when I heard a faun whistle suggestively as he and his comrades watched us as they sat around a fire. "Peter! No more! At least not in front of everyone!"

"As you wish, my Queen."

A cheetah snickered.

"_Peter!_ They can _hear_ you!"

"And that should bother me because...?"

"Ugh!" I pulled him along, nearly running now, so we could get to the treasury sooner. I just wanted to get away from all the stares! The treasury door was still open when we arrived, and a lit torch hung outside. Peter reached out and grabbed it, then led the way down the stairs. As we continued, he lit the other torches on the wall and around the bottom floor walls, lighting up the underground hall.

As he lit the last few torches, I slowly walked over to one chest in particular. I stood there, inspecting the regal statue behind it. It was just as perfect and clean as the day it had been carved by a highly skilled centaur. The hair was long and tidy, even under the weight of a large crown. The chin was defined and strong, emphasizes the handsome qualities of the man himself. But it was the eyes that captured my attention... They were enchanting, though plain in statue, but I knew exactly what the the real orbs looked like. I could easily picture the golden orbs in place of the statue's plain eyes.

"I miss being tall," Peter came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my torso. I assumed he had placed the torch in an empty holder on the wall. We both gazed at the statue of the adult High King of Narnia.

"I wish I could have been there," I murmured sadly. "To have known you as a grown man."

"Do you like the long hair?" He asked softly.

"Yes, but I dislike the beard, it will itch every time we kiss," I pointed out in a serious voice. "So please, no beards this time."

"As you wish."

"Why do you keep saying that?" I questioned, not annoyed but rather amused. Peter did not usually say things like that, he preferred his own lines to clichés.

"I..." He rested his chin on my right shoulder, making our cheeks press against each other. A smile broke out on my face, I couldn't help it. The unlimited joy inside of me was difficult to hold back. I had _my_ Peter again... That's all that mattered in the world right now. War, danger, and reality didn't exist in here. Not in this underground escape.

"Yes?" I whispered, encouragingly.

"I will never deny you anything ever again," He said softly. "Do you remember why you were upset with me? The night you and Duke... erm, left?" I could feel him wince.

"Yes. I had told you about the threats against Susan, how I had overheard Niomee and her friends in the hallway... And you, well, you-" I bit my lip.

"I treated you with disrespect Kay," Peter's breath felt hot on my neck. "You tried to speak and I shut you up. You tried to apologize and I insulted you. I'm so sorry... _so _very sorry. I love you and I should never have treated you like that. But-"

"You were angry," I pulled away but only so that I could twist my body around. Now we faced each other, only inches apart, and his arms still encircled me. I lifted my hands and held his face gingerly. I stared into his eyes, not surprised to see the honey glow inside them, and said, "You were upset and emotional, stressed as well. We had just come out of war and thought we could have our happy ever after... _Finally_ after so much struggle, we could be happy right?"

"Exactly," He cried. "So for you to tell me that my sister was in danger just threatened my entire word of happiness. I acted on impulse-"

"And I overreacted," I leaned forward and kissed the tip of his nose. "I'm sorry too. I should have never said that comment about Susan not going to be my sister anymore, it was a low blow."

Peter stared into my eyes and then did something that surprised me. He burst into laughter.

I frowned and let my hands drop, "W-What's so funny?"

He saw my frightened expression and immediately sobered up. "Oh, I a-apologize!" I noticed that Peter was still smiling though. "I didn't mean to laugh... But I suddenly thought about how _deep_ and emotional this conversation was. I thought we promised to stop being so damn dramatic."

Hearing his words made me smile too, "You're right. We're such hypocrites."

"As long as we're hypocrites together, I don't really mind." Peter leaned in for another kiss, which I welcomed.

When my lips were free again, I shook my head and said, "We're going to need to tone that down. It's distracting and I don't think everyone will appreciate the PDA."

"PDA?"

"Public display of affection," I clarified.

"Ah," Peter released me. "As you wish. Now, let's open that treasure chest of yours."

"Oh yeah, I already forgot about the tunics. See! Distracting!" I walked over to my own statue and chest. But as always, I kept my eyes away from the statue, because it only reminded me how isolated I was from the Pevensies. While they were adults and aged, my statue had remained young and childlike. I did not possess the maturity and authority they had embraced in age. I suppose... I suppose I was jealous. But more strongly, I was intimidated.

"My wand?!" I exclaimed, taken aback. Then, I reached out and lifted it gingerly from the pile of jewels and clothes. It felt smooth and cold to my fingers, no longer a source of heat and energy. My heart tightened painfully for a moment, recognizing the lack of flame stirred in my soul... I was without my fire. I was without my passion. And so this wand was nothing more than a pretty looking stick. And it hurt to know that.

"Yes, it needed to be hidden and kept away from the Shadows. When Edmund realized you were gone, he brought me the news remember? For I had already left with Vicern to search for Susan," Peter recounted. "And he brought with him your wand. He thought it would be best to get it out of the castle, we couldn't risk any traitor finding it. So, as soon as our search brought us to Cair Paravel, I returned your wand to the treasury."

"Ah," I held it out to him, "Please, hold it."

He gave me a strange look, but took it. After a moment's pause, he inquired, "What's the matter?"

I put on my best confused face, "What?"

"What's bothering you?" He asked immediately.

"I don't know what you mean-"

"Your eyes... They're dim," He peered at me and then at my wand. Comprehension washed over his face, "Oh... You're upset about your magic."

"I'm not upset," I laughed weakly. "I just-"

"You don't need magic Kay," Peter spoke softly. "Magic doesn't define you, it's not your strength."

"Of course it is! We would have never won our wars if I hadn't had my magic!"

"No, we won because of your spirit."

"Fire is my spirit," I muttered, turning back to the chest, unwilling to face him. What did he mean my spirit? Didn't he understand? I had explained it countless times... My spirit felt whole and invincible when I had fire inside my heart.

"As you wish," He sighed deeply. I pretended not to hear.

I set my attention on trying to locate my tunic. I had never been organized with my chest and therefore it took several minutes of moving things about. I had to toss precious jewels, piles of gold coins, and other valuables about until I finally located the clothing. I pulled the two tunics out, they had been hidden beneath a fine gown, and was glad to see that moths hadn't ruined them.

"Are those from Patdor?"

Peter's question made me look at the bottom of the chest. I gasped at the numerous pieces of parchment. Without hesitation, I dropped the tunics to the ground and reached inside. Grabbing a handful of letters, I sat down on the stone floor and began to read.

The handwriting made my heart beat quickly in excitement. "This one is from Patdor!" I exclaimed, "Just shortly after we turned from Archenland. Ah, see? He and Maret had just toured the countryside in celebration of their marriage and-"

"Isn't that the letter where he reveals her pregnancy?" Peter sat down besides me, interested. Placing my wand carefully in his lap, he reached out and read another letter. A smile broke out on his face, "And here is the marriage proposal from the Calormen lord! Why in the name of Aslan did you keep this wretched thing? I should tear it right now and-"

I snatched it out of his hands, "Don't you dare. I find this letter very flattering and amusing."

A dark shade of red burned on Peter's cheeks, "I don't find a man's profession of passionate love for my woman very amusing."

"You're just jealous of his love!" I sniggered.

"Jealous? The man never had met you! He had only seen you while we visited Calormen to speak of peace treaties. Oh, the women at court there were absolutely dreadful! Do you remember?"

I did indeed. As soon as the Pevensies had settled into their thrones and sorted Narnia back into a calm and serene country, they had decided to reach out to the Empire on the other side of Archenland. And so we had gone with our adventurous natures, only knowing about the Calormen people and culture by descriptions from the members of the Archenland court. When we arrived, we had been shocked. Women were treated like slaves, children married far too early, and other strange practices. Of course I had been outraged and made it clear what I thought about their traditions... Earning me a notorious reputation.

And so a Calormen lord had taken a keen interest in me. He, as well as the rest of the Calormen court, learned of my relationship with Peter but it hadn't dissuaded him at all. He wrote outlandish and ridiculous letters to me, sent me extravagant gifts, and boasted that he would win me from the 'pale faced and skinny' King of Narnia.

"May I please burn it?"

I looked at Peter and realizing his sincere dislike of the letter, I gave in. "Fine, if it will make you feel better."

He leaned over and captured my lips, "It really does."

While he burned my beloved -snort- love letter, I busied myself with skimming the other few parchments I had found. Letters from Maret were numerous, she often wrote me about her son and his development. They had been planning to visit only a month after I had returned to my world. I had never seen her son... Despite the fact that she and Patdor had named me the child's godmother. Peter, naturally, had been deemed the godfather.

Other letters were from various friends throughout Narnia. Also, I found one letter from Vicern's father which relayed yet another embarrassing tale from Vicern's childhood.

"You should change," Peter was suddenly standing near me, having finished his little bonfire. "Alyssa would be grateful to have something more fitting to wear than jeans."

"Okay," I put the letters back into the chest and began to change. I didn't mind Peter being in the room, but he didn't seem too comfortable with the idea. I giggled to myself as I noticed he had swiftly turned away as I changed.

The tunic was absolutely perfect. It fit my body well and did not hang due to extra fabric. The reason? This was a woman's tunic, not a man's. In order to keep me from wearing Peter or Edmund's tunics, which were much too large for my figure, Mrs. Beaver had come up with the idea of making tunics fit for women. Susan and Lucy had their own, but I owned the most. I preferred them to dresses. The leggings were tight around my calfs and thighs, allowing for unrestricted kicks. The shirt stuck to my torso and didn't get in the way as I swung and moved my arms.

"Alright, you may turn around."

Peter did and he whistled.

"What?" I raised an eyebrow.

"You grew," He shrugged.

I laughed, "Why do you say that? I'm still the same height."

Peter shook his head as he walked up the stairs, still holding my wand, "Who said I was talking about your height?"

"PETER!"

He laughed his way out of the treasury.

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"Are you warm enough?" Peter glanced around, "I can find you another blanket."

"I'm fine," I smiled. "One blanket is enough for me."

"We need to get some capes like them," Will motioned toward the group of boys that sat across the campfire from him. "They look warm."

The handful of young men (and elf) all laughed at this observation. To my right sat Peter, Edmund, Vicern, and Caspian. On my left sat Duke, Alyssa, and Will who all held out their hands to the flames, clearly not accustomed to the cold nights of nature. Lucy had gone to bed, her child's body unable to stay awake into the late hours of the night. I guess it was just a talent we adults possessed. Well, some of us were teenagers still, others adults... Oh, whatever.

"Wear Kay's sweatshirt," Alyssa chattered her teeth. She wore the tunic now, but had pulled a modern jacket over anyways. "There's another in her backpack."

"I'm not wearing a chick one," Will scoffed.

Duke rolled his eyes, "Didn't you see her pack? She chose the water polo team one, so it's not just for chicks."

Will mumbled something, but we didn't catch it because he walked away to go get my backpack. An awkward silence then ensued, causing me to clear my throat. All eyes immediately snapped to my face.

"Uhh... Well, this is an usual occasion! A Telmarine, an elf, four Americans, and two Englishmen. I don't really know what we can talk about, because I don't think there's something universally known to all of us-"

"The weather," Ed joked. "We all have weather Kay."

I scowled, "I'm not an idiot. But I meant something _interesting_!"

Caspian leant forward and asked with genuine curiosity, "Please, what is 'water polo'?"

I don't think she meant to, but Alyssa burst into laughter. When Caspian sent her a confused look, she blushed deeply. "Erm, sorry, I didn't mean to... laugh. It's just, wow, it's so weird for me. You know?"

Caspian frowned even more deeply.

And of course, rather than give a logical response, Alyssa promptly began to stutter nonsense. "I-I didn't mean... Well yes I did but not l-like that. But hah! What's water... Erm, yeah, I don't know w-why you would know. B-But it's just so-"

"Dude, it's a sport." Duke stated nicely before grinning at Alyssa, "You need to chill out."

Her embarrassment instantly turned into anger, "Shut up!"

"What? I'm just saying-"

"Hey, it's my first time here okay? I'm freaking out still, leave me alone. You're experienced!"

"Yeah well-"

"Leave her be already," Vicern spoke out. His voice was low and grave, not a hint of his usual playfulness was present. I sat up straight, shocked to finally hear Vicern say something. After my return to health, I had sought him out to say hello again. Instead of find an excited, friendly Vicern I found a dull and silent elf. He had offered a small smile and weak hug, but nothing more. As he walked away, Peter sighed deeply and informed me that as the days went by, Vicern lost more and more of his light spirit. The loss of Susan had threatened to kill his soul out of depression.

I still remember what Peter whispered. '_It's like seeing me... After I lost you.'_

Now, a very awkward silence took over. Vicern, without warning, stood up and retreated from the our fire. We all watched him, unsure of what to do. I bit my lip and began to get up to follow him, but a hand reached out and touched my arm.

"No," Duke murmured. "Let me."

Doubtful, I stared at him. But the determined shine in his eyes made me sit back down. Duke gave me a nod of thanks before strutting off in the direction Vicern had disappeared.

"What a night," Caspian thew a stick into the fire and leaned back. "So, what are our plans?"

"We're going to Owlwood," I answered.

"Owlwood?" Edmund sounded surprised.

"Yup," I leaned my head on Peter's shoulder. He smiled down at me.

"But those woods have already been searched," Ed said. "Why are we going back?"

"Because the search party didn't consider the Northern Marsh. Although part of the wilderness and obviously marsh territory, an army could still hide there."

"Yes, but the giants wouldn't allow it. They'd defend their territory!"

"And if the giants have joined the Shadows...?"

Edmund paled, "Oh."

"Exactly," Peter groaned. "We didn't even consider it."

"How'd you come up with the possibility then?" Caspian inquired.

"Will," Alyssa beamed. "He saw a map and asked about the Northern Marsh... When Kay first told us about the giants, he was fascinated by them. So, he was excited to see their territory on the map."

"Genius," Edmund nodded.

At that very moment, Will joined our group once again. "Who is?"

We all sniggered.


	45. Chapter 44

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**Chapter 44**

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"I think we should stop," Edmund laughed.

I looked at him, "What? Why? We're making good time!"

Then, Peter began to laugh. "Kay, look behind us."

When I did, I burst into a fit of giggles. Riding behind our horses followed Will, Duke, and Aylssa. Well, _attempting_ to ride at least. Alyssa was hunched over, clinging to the neck of her horse. Will's face was contorted in panic as his body leant dangerously to one side. Duke was watching them both in amusement, but he too seemed to be struggling a bit. Behind their row, Caspian and Vicern rode side by side, followed by the rest of our Narnian group.

"It's. Not. Funny." Alyssa choked out. She managed to peek up from her hunched over position to glare at us.

"Actually it is," Duke sniggered.

"Shut up man," Will snapped. "You're not looking so hot either."

"At least I'm not the Leaning Tower of Pisa-"

"Dude, shut up."

"You already said that-"

I groaned, "Maybe we should have left them back at Cair Paravel."

"And how would they defend themselves if the Shadows attacked?" Ed raised an eyebrow. "I'd give them thirty seconds to live."

"Thirty? I was thinking more along the lines of twenty," Peter said thoughtfully.

"HEY!" Three modern teenagers shouted in outrage. But us three former rulers of Narnia all ignored them.

"I say that we keep riding," I looked at my watch. "It's already one so we should arrive at Owlwood in fifteen minutes. Why don't we rest in the shade of the trees? That way, we can ask the dryads to check the Northern Marsh while we eat lunch."

"Will they be willing to travel outside of their forest?" Caspian suddenly spoke, revealing his eavsdropping. Vicern remained silent and continued staring out into space. I bit my lip as I observed his isolation. As the hours ticked by, I felt like pieces of Vi were disappearing as well. He looked like a ghost, grossly pale despite the hot sunlight that made the rest of us sweat and tan.

"Yes, the Northern Marsh is literally on the other side of Owlwood. Drayds only need to peek out of the trees. The Marsh is flat and so you can see for miles from the northern edge of Owlwood," Edmund answered patiently.

"I agree with Kay," Peter stopped his horse though. "But we should get Alyssa and Will riding with two of us."

"I'll take Will," I said automatically as I slowed my steed. Knowing the men around me, none of them would want to injure their pride by doubling up on a horse with another man. To be fair, I can't picture Will's arms around Peter or Edmund's waist as he rode behind them in the saddle. That could only lead to awkwardness.

"Alyssa," Ed pulled his horse to a stop as well. "You can ride with me."

Will looked relieved as he pulled himself up onto my horse. He tentatively put his arms on my waist, "Sorry if I make you uncomfortable."

"No worries," I shrugged. "I've doubled up plently of times."

"Oh," I heard Duke say happily, "The amount of dirty comments I could make right now..."

Will snickered.

"Ha-Ha!" Alyssa rolled her eyes from where she sat behind Edmund. She still looked frightened to be on a horse. The pained expression on Ed's face proved she was holding on tightly. Ouch.

"So," Duke had managed to get his horse to come up to my left ride. Now he rode on the edge of our front line of travelers. "Who am I doubling up with?"

Peter lightly kicked his horse forward, "You can handle another fifteen minutes."

"I am so loved," Duke sighed.

My esimation proved correct when we rode up into the shade of the Owlwood trees exactly sixteen minutes later. Everyone was glad to to be out of the hot sun and water canteens were passed quickly. Will slid off the horse gracefully enough and even offered to help me down. With the horses tied up and lunches being cooked, I went to find Peter.

He stood with Vicern and to my surprise, they were holding a conversation. I had almost forgot what it looked like to see Vicern smile. But the sight of it, even though it was small and weak, made my heart lift. Only Aslan knew what Peter had said to earn a smile from Vi... But I'm glad he said it. Not wanting to impose, I backed away slowly and surveyed the trees. They were just as large and beautiful as I remembered. The last time I had been to Owlwood was the day of the coronation...

_Someone tapped my shoulder. Turning my neck slightly, I felt Vicern's breath on my neck as he whispered, "The cheetahs have found some."_

_Immediately, I lifted the napkin out of my lap and tossed it onto the table. Standing up I asked, "Where?"_

_"To the north, in Owlwood." He answered. For the past few days, several cheetahs have been running around Narnia, searching for any Narnians who remained under the stone spell. Aslan had freed those in Jadis' courtyard and most out there in Narnia, but there was still the chance some might be stuck in a remote area._

_To my surprise, all the men stood up, as etiquette required when a woman stand from the table, and Peter walked over. "What's wrong?"_

_Vicern bowed his head respectfully, "They have found several stone Narnians in Owlwood, Kay needs to help them."_

_"Who's going with her?"_

_"I can go alone Peter, it's not that far North, only two hours ride. I'm sure Phillip would be willing-" I began._

_"No, you're not going alone. Some of Jadis' army is still out there!" he cut in. "Vicern, go with her please."_

_"Of course your highness." Vi sent me a wink._

_"Fine by me," I said giving Peter a quick kiss on the cheek. "We'll be back in time for the coronation."_

"Earth to Kayla... Actually, Narnia to Kayla."

I smiled at Duke's joke, "Hey."

"What were you thinking about?" He crossed his arms suspciously, "You looked so out of it."

"Just... memories." I blinked a few times, trying to fully return to reality. It worked and I found myself looking into the curious eyes of Duke. "I was thinking about the last time I came here."

"Oh, so you should be able to answer my question. How many miles long is Owlwood? Because if we're cooking our meals over fire that means the smoke will give away our position-" He pointed out wisely.

"You're right," I nodded. "If you were to walk from the southern border to the northern of Owlwood, you would have walked twenty miles."

"And it's about twenty-five miles from here to Cair Paravel right?"

"Yes," I frowned, "What are you getting at?"

Duke rubbed the back of his neck. Immediately, that made me nervous because Duke only did that when he was anxious or uncertain. With his easy going personality, not many things caused him anxiety. "I was just thinking... Oh, nevermind. I'm probably just being stupid."

"No, tell me."

He continued to rub his neck, "I was thinking that-"

"Kay!"

Both Duke and I turned to see Peter approaching us. Vicern and Caspian winged him, leaving me to assume that Edmund was still with Alyssa and Will.

"Yes?"

"Let's get the message to the dryads," Peter nodded in greeting to Duke who merely moved his head slightly in response. Oh yes, something was bothering Duke. I gave him a let's-talk-later look, which he sighed to.

"May I?" Caspian inquired politely.

We glanced at him in surprise, with the exception of the now emotionless Vicern. I pursed my lips, "May you what?"

"May I deliver the message?" Caspian smiled geniunely. "I would like to establish a friendship between the trees and the Telmarines."

"Alright," Peter grinned, clearly impressed with this statement. "Go on then, call them."

"H-How do I do that?"

"Just call out to the dryads, but be polite. They react to your tone, if you come across as threatening or rude they will ignore you."

"Or smack you with a branch," Peter winked at me.

Caspian seemed to pale slightly at that, but stepped forward anyways. He cleared his throat nervously and then awkwardly cried, "Dryads!"

Nothing.

His shoulders fell slightly and I leaned forward to whisper, "Remember, be friendly. Trees are proud, they know that they are stronger and wiser than us... You would do well to remember this too."

Caspian offered me a look of thanks before kneeling on the grass. In a softer voice he called out, "Please... Dryads, may I speak with you?"

The effect was instantaneous. A dozen dryads burst out of their trunks and branches, they danced around in the air for a few moments before slowly floating to ground level. Their bodies were made of leaves and some of flowers. They huddled in a group, whispering amoungst themselves as they stared at us. Caspian began to rise off his knee, but stopped when one dryad danced until she stood only a few feet away from him.

"You are the new Telmarine king?" Her voice was gentle.

"I am," Caspian bowed his head slightly in respect.

The dryad twirled around him, as if to inspect him. She laughed before retreating back to the circle of dryads who promptly burst into giggles.

I rolled my eyes... These were young dryads. Where were the old ones with authority? Almost to answer my plea, a new dryad joined the group. This one was different than the others... Her leaves were darker and form larger. As she floated down from the branches above, the other dryads became silent.

The old one ignored Caspian and floated towards me. "Guardian, you have returned."

I smiled, "Hello my friend. You know me?"

"You rescued the stone animals from my mother's branches," The old one reached out so that her fingers grazed my hair. "I grew in her spot when her tree became old with time... She spread her knowledge of your kindness and magic to all of her children. We have grown in the woods waiting for your return."

"Waiting...?" I bit my lip. "What do you mean?"

"An evil has entered Narnia once more child," The dryad lowered her arm sadly. "They have no form, not even one such as that of the dryad. They are merely shadows... A whisper of their true evil bodies."

"What do you know? Please," I whispered. "Tell us of your knowledge."

"They have gathered a large army to the North of our woods," The dryad bowed her head. "They are strong in numbers and continue to grow."

"What of my wife?" A scratchy voice demanded.

The dryad floated over to Vicern and inspected him, "You suffer greatly, King Vicern of the elves. I am sorry to share that the evil has the great Queen Susan."

"I-Is she alive?" Vicern's voice was rough because of its lack of use. Normally, a dryad wouldn't responde to such a tone, but this one did. She spoke patiently and soothingly.

"The Queen is alive and well, but I am afraid that the Shadows have won her soul."

"What do you mean?" Peter put a hand on Vicern's shoulder. The two men desperately clung to every word of the dryad.

"The young ones have told me what they have seen. The Shadows traveled through our woods, frighting our kind. But the young ones, more foolish than the elders, did not retreat. They watched the Shadows... And learned of their hunger."

"Hunger?" I blurted out in confusion, then sheepsihly covered my mouth.

"They feast upon souls," The dryad moved away slightly, "They have taken the Queen and female elf."

"What-" Duke paused and then blanched, "You mean that they have control of their bodies! They're inside?"

"Aye," The dryad did a slow twirl. Her leaves did not move as quickly as the other dryads', a display of her true age. "Please bring peace to our woods, we suffer as this evil overlwhelms our home."

And then a light breeze swept away their leaves and flowers. The dryads had returned to the safety of their trees. Us humans were left alone...

"Let it begin," Peter murmured. _Let the war begin._

"What are your orders?" I asked gravely.

"I am no longer in command," Peter looked at Caspian. "You are leader of this land now, what are your orders?"

Caspian got to his feet and faced us with an expression filled with determination. His eyes glinted dangerously as he smirked, "We gather our own army. An army of the new Narnia. An army of elves, Telmarines, animals, and Kings and Queens. We will unite and _we will win._"

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"No fires!" I shouted out in reminder, "We must not give away our position!"

"We continue our journey in two hours men!" Edmund announced. "Starting now, all noise ends!"

The Narnians all signaled their understanding and I tugged nervously on my braids. Night had fallen and after twelve straight hours of relentless traveling, we had finally been forced to stop. The horses needed sleep and the men food. Unfortunately, we would be eating a cold meal. Alyssa had fallen asleep in Edmund's arms on horseback and I struggled to keep my posture straight. Having Will's warm body behind me proved a lethal temptation. I wanted to lean back and fall alseep. It was three in the morning... At sunset our group would continue our plight to the Telmarine castle.

Caspian and Vicern had ridden ahead. They were the fastest riders and with Vicern's elvin horses, they would reach the castle at least half a day before the rest of our company. By the time we arrived to the castle, the Elvin and Telmarine soldiers would be organized and preparing for battle. The alert would have been sent throughout Narnia and call for soldiers spread. Soon, the fearless Narnian soliders would join their comrades.

Suddenly, hands snuck their way around my torso. Their gentle touch told me that it was Peter. I relaxed into his chest and he kissed the top of my head. We didn't say anything, as silence was needed. We couldn't risk any unncessary noise. Not when creatures such as ghouls or spectres could fly overhead as scouts. Any fires or noise would reveal our position.

Peter pushed my body forward and I allowed him to lead me over to where Alyssa lay on the grass. He kissed my cheek and then my lips, before kissing my forehead. With a smile, he left me to sleep. I frowned when I saw that he didn't head over for his own resting place, but instead walked over to where Edmund stood guard. Those two never rested!

Too tired to argue with them, I lay down besides Alyssa and pulled a blanket out of her backpack. As soon as I had covered my feet, I was lost to dreams.

Well, my sleep didn't last long. It felt like only seconds had passed when someone was shaking me. But they weren't very kind. They shook me urgently and powerfully.

My eyes snapped open in alarm.

Alyssa was bending over me and without warning, she pointed up into the sky. I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes.

She grabbed my hands pulled them away from my face. I began to make a noise of protest, but her slammed her palm against my mouth.

Now, I was scared.

My wide eyes gaped at her. Alyssa's face was white with fear and she pointed up to the sky with her free hand, 'LOOK!' She mouthed.

I gazed up at the heavens half-asleep and half-terrified. I saw nothing but stars and the moon. My eyes fell back onto Alyssa's face. I pushed her palm away and mouthed, 'What?'

'LOOK!'

I did but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

'What?'

Suddenly, her slumped over. I poked her, 'What?'

'Didn't you see?'

'See what?' I yawned, my heart rate returning to normal pace.

'You... You didn't see?'

'You must have been dreaming,' I laid back down and pulled the blanket back up past my shoulders. I was so damn tired... Why in the name of Aslan had she woken me up? If there... Oh, another yawn. Anyways, if there was any sign of trouble... the guard... would've seen...

I was lost to sleep again.


	46. Chapter 45

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**Chapter 45**

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**Right, I have about 7 weeks to finish this story. Then I start university and will not have time to write. I want to be able to enjoy college life and transition without constantly thinking about my next chapter or what twist to add to the plot. I daydream too much, you know? So 7 weeks left people...**

**REVIEW. Please, reviews help me update quicker, your support is my inspiration!**

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"Hey," I stretched my arms. "What was last night about?"

Alyssa looked terrible, her eyes were red and had dark bags beneath them. Her face seemed tense and she jumped at the sound of my voice. "O-Oh! Kay, dude don't do that."

"I just walked up to you..." I raised an eyebrow, "And from your front, you should have seen me coming. You were daydreaming I guess."

"No," Alyssa shook her head. "Just... Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Um, right, this is probably going to sound stupid-"

"No it won't," I assured her as I packed up the horse besides us. Within a few minutes our company would continue our journey through the Narnian countryside. The Telmarine castle was only several hours away now, we should arrive not long after the castle kitchens cleaned up after the midday meal. If Caspian and Vicern had ridden without stopping, they would be arriving any moment now. Knowing their determination and pride, I bet they hadn't given their horses a proper break.

Alyssa's next words came out so quickly that I missed them. I paused in my work and glanced at her, "Pardon? I didn't catch that."

She took a deep breath, almost to calm herself down. "I asked... I asked if there are dragons in Narnia."

I stared at her.

Red exploded in her cheeks and she quickly turned away, "I _told_ you it would sound stupid-"

I snapped out of my surprise, "No! No! I'm sorry, I just didn't expect d-dragons! W-Why do you ask?"

Slowly, Alyssa turned back around. She raised her eyes up to mine and in a deadly serious tone said, "I saw one last night."

"What?" My voice was flat and strange even to my ears.

"That's why I woke you up!" She pointed up to the sky dramatically, "Because there was a freaking _dragon_ flying up there. Do you hear me? A huge _monster!_"

"Are you sure you weren't imagining-" I blurted, trying to grasp the implications of her claim. A dragon? Dear Aslan... In all my time in Narnia, I had never once had the displeasure of meeting a dragon. They were extinct in Narnia and any survivors were believed to live on Dragon Island. None had entered Narnia during the White Witch's or Golden eras. But despite their physical absence, dragons had left behind a fierce reputation in Narnia. They were the most powerful beasts, most magical, and most deadly. No one survived an encounter with a dragon.

"I saw it! Kay, what the hell? I believed all that crap about being dropped into a magical land and falling in love with a Prince... And you won't believe me about seeing a dragon? Are you _kidding_ me?"

My fingers massaged my temples, "Ugh, hold on. I'm sorry, but you're asking the wrong person. I only heard and read about dragons when I lived here, but the Pevensies were in Narnia longer than me. Maybe they know... I b-believe you, but man I hope you're wrong. A dragon in Narnia? That's major bad news."

"EDDY!" Alyssa suddenly shouted, waving to someone behind me. I didn't bother to turn around as Edmund joined us. He was carrying some scrolls, most likely some maps that Peter and Vicern had taken them while searching for Susan.

He frowned at Alyssa, "What did you call me?"

"Are their dragons in Narnia?" Alyssa inquired urgently, ignoring his own question.

The frown deepened, "Alive or dead?"

My hands fell away from my face in surprise, "Whoa, what is that supposed to mean?"

"Didn't I ever tell you about the dragon in Jadis' castle?" Ed looked at me curiously.

"NO!" I cried out, "What the hell was Jadis doing with a pet dragon?"

"Oh, it wasn't her pet. In fact," Ed shrugged, "It wasn't even alive. She had turned a dragon into a stone. I saw it when I went to her castle."

"Alyssa saw a dragon last night," I peered at her, "What was it doing exactly?"

"Just circling above, clearly looking at us. Then it just flew away."

"A scout!" Edmund and I said together. We gaped at one another, then immediately took off in different directions. I sprinted to find Peter and Edmund sped away to order the soldiers into defensive formation and mode. Neither of us spared a moment to console a very confused and now distressed Alyssa.

"PETER!" I screeched, seeing his golden hair in the sea of heads. Instantaneously, Peter snapped to attention, hearing the desperate tone of my voice. He stood with a centaur, clearly holding a conversation.

"What's the matter?" He demanded, his eyes swept to action behind me. "Why is Ed... Why are we on defense?! What's happened?"

"There's a dragon!" I nearly ran into him as I struggled to come to a stop after such a sprint. "It's a scout for the Shadows."

"A dragon? Impossible they're on Dragon Island and-"

"There was a stone one in Jadis' courtyard. Maybe the Shadows freed it, who knows? Peter! It doesn't matter! The Shadows know our position!"

"When did it-"

"A few hours ago, Alyssa woke me up but I was so sleepy that I didn't see it." I answered with panic rising in my chest. "We have to get out of here. If it reported our position and reinforcements were sent they would be-"

"Arriving any moment now," Peter finished. In the past several seconds my betrothed had transformed. A puzzled and alarmed young man had changed into a courageous and calm High King. His casual, relaxed postured straightened. The friendly sparkle in his eyes dulled. I took a gulp, intimidated by the authority he exerted.

"What are your orders, sir?" The centaur asked with equal calmness.

"Keep the defensive formation but our primary objective is to protect Prince Duke and his companions. We leave _now._" Peter strode past me. I followed after him while the centaur began to shout directions.

"Where do you want me positioned, sir?" I had to jog to keep up with Peter's long steps.

His face remained hard, "In the center."

"_What?_" I pushed him slightly on the arm, in frustration. "Are you kidding me?"

Suddenly, Peter had grabbed my shoulders and faced me. His narrowed eyes stared down at me, "You will go in the center with the others. We need you alive Kay!"

"I can fight!" I tried to shake off his hands, but he only tightened his grasp.

"You have no enhanced abilities and you have no magic. You can't fight right now-"

"I'm just as human as you are," I muttered. "And you're willing to fight. Why do you deny me the same right you exercise?"

"My life isn't worth as much as yours! Think about it Kay, I'm not a ruler anymore, just another soldier. But you... You are the key to winning this war against the Shadows."

"But-"

"Damn it Kay," He nearly screamed at me. I flinched. Peter's face fell when he saw my reaction and he lowered his voice, "I-I'm sorry... But please, just listen to me. We don't have time to argue. When we arrive at the Telmarine capitol you can push and yell at me all you want. Okay?"

Before I could say a word, Peter walked away. And before I could get my legs to move, a new set of arms enveloped me. What the hell? Was I just an item to be thrown around? Apparently because the person lifted me up and carried me.

"Put me down!" I finally found my voice.

The content and lively voice of Duke Keelings answered, "Nope Edmund has ordered that you ride with Will. He needs someone to keep him on a horse."

"I should be on the perimeter, I should be fighting!"

"Yeah," He sighed. "But everyone's going on about a dragon coming after us. Ed says that we need to get the hell out of here or else."

"Get me a bow and arrow at least," I pleaded.

"I'll see what I can do. For right now, just get on the horse," Duke deposited me on the ground. Looking around, I groaned when I found myself surrounded by soldiers. They formed a sturdy formation around the two horses. While Will and I would ride one, I assumed the other would carry Duke and Alyssa. Damn it, Edmund and Peter would lead the formation.

Why did they have freedom? I could just fight as well as them! Oh yes, I would be angry with Peter... But, then there was my promise. I had promised not to fight with him again... Ugh!

"LET'S GO!" Peter's voice shouted.

Frustrated, I got on the horse and looked down at a pale Will. "Are you coming or not?" I snapped.

"Jeez," He murmured as he got on behind me.

I sighed as I took hold of the reigns. "Sorry."

"Hold this for Kay," Duke had reappeared and in his outstretched hand was a bow and arrow. "It's like a backpack, it straps around your back."

"Alright," Will took it. I watched as Duke helped Alyssa up onto the saddle. With his taller and larger form, he rode behind her, putting his arms past her torso to hold the reigns. Poor Will had to hold onto me. Men didn't like women driving... And in this case, having control of the reigns.

We rode for two hours before they caught up to us. We didn't have a chance, even if we all rode Elvin horses. Why? Because they had wings. The dragon didn't come along, he brought other flying creatures. Some I had seen during the First Battle of Beruna. Jadis had sent the creatures to fight the gryphons in the sky above. Other creatures were strangers, I had never seen such grotesque faces or twisted limbs.

"INCOMING!" A faun screamed in warning. But no one needed his announcement, we had all heard the distant sounds of flapping wings. Bows were out and arrows began to fly.

Chaos began.

Foul screeches filled the air. Everyone cringed or tried to cover their ears. But the screeches were soon overwhelmed by a single and terrifying roar. Will screamed in alarm behind me and I thought I could hear Alyssa crying in fright... But it all sounded so distant, so far away.

Because the strangest thing happened. I felt... happy.

The roar, dear Aslan, the roar made my heart leap in excitement. I didn't fear the dragon, in fact I wanted to meet it. I turned around and past the frightened face of Will, I saw it. She was beautiful. I don't know how I knew the dragon was female, but I just knew.

She was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen.

She was still behind the group, but I could tell she was the size of three horses combined. At least. Her scales glowed in the sunlight, shimmering brightly. She was red, her scales nearly the color of the fire that came out her mouth-

"CRAP!" I snapped my head around and tugged the reigns to one side. Thankfully, the horse responded immediately. "FIRE!" I yelled in warning, "WATCH OUT!"

"Oh my god oh my god oh my god-" Will held onto me tightly and I could feel him smother his face into my back.

"Take the reigns," I ordered him.

"WHAT?" He gaped at me dumbly.

"Take them!" I snapped. Thankfully, he reacted and lifted his hands off my torso and forward, taking the reigns into hold. In turn, I did a maneuver that would have made circus performers proud. In those few seconds, I managed to turn around in the saddle, so that I faced Will. It was uncomfortable and my thighs screamed in protest, but I ignored them. Reaching over his shoulders, I withdrew the bow and an arrow.

"Don't move an inch," I warned him. Will could only nod, his voice lost in fear and attention limited to steering our horse. With the speed of the horse, strange position, and frightened shouts around me... Aiming was difficult.

Actually, aiming was impossible.

The arrow shot through the air, a feat in itself, but it flew dozens of feet away from the mob of winged creatures. I swear I could almost hear them laugh in amusement at my feeble attempt. And that made me pissed off.

"Stupid retarded dimwits," I muttered under my breath as I reached for another arrow. Now filled with anger and embarrassment, I felt determined. I _would_ hit a freaking monster. Pulling the bow string back, I yelped when the horse jumped slightly. Thankfully, I didn't drop the arrow. I pulled a second time and aimed. I fired.

The arrow flew quickly and this time towards the target. An unlucky ghoul found an arrow in his chest and I watched with pleasure as the monster fell out of the sky. It tried to flap its wings, but within seconds it was crashing into the hard dirt below.

Another roar of a dragon drowned everything out of my ears again. Again, I felt joy in it, but then I caught Will's expression. The pain, horror, fright and worry in his face snapped me out of it. What the hell was wrong with me? The dragon was the enemy! Not something to like!

Annoyed with myself, I notched a third arrow.

"Hit the dragon!" Will pleaded. To be honest, I was surprised that he could talk at all given the situation. "Do it Kay!"

"Jeez," I cringed. More pressure- just what I needed. Still, I aimed and fired. I watched anxiously for that second as the arrow flew towards the large beast. Half of me wanted to cry out to warn the dragon and the other half wanted to see it fall to the ground. I don't know why... But I felt compassion for it in some way, for some strange reason.

The arrow bounced off the dragon's scales. She hadn't even flinched. She hadn't even tried to avoid being hit. Oh crap, now she was looking at me. Well, at least I thought so, because her head was angled towards me. Goosebumps flew up my arm and I squeaked.

Yes, I squeaked. And that squeak turned into a full on scream when a great fireball came tumbling out of her mouth and towards us all.

"FIREBALL!" Someone shouted. Ah! That sounded like Ed!

"Kayla..." Will's voice went very high.

"RIGHT!" I ordered him, "Turn right!"

How handy, I could see the fireball and direct us out of harms way... Wait! What about the others? I turned to look at Duke and Alyssa and to my horror, they were steering left. Suddenly, I couldn't breathe. My heart was caught in

"RIGHT! RIIIIIIGGGGHHHHT!" I screamed. I had never screamed like that before. My throat burned as it handled the extreme burst of energy and sound.

And Duke snapped to attention, hearing my warning. His head peered over his shoulder and I watched with dread as his face instantly went white. With brute force, he yanked on the reigns and soon their horse was chasing after ours.

Then, the fireball hit. Well, more like blew up. Thankfully, everyone had cleared out of the way, but we still got hit. It sounded like thunder as fire met earth. Rock, dirt, and grass burst into the air showering down on our company. Will got hit by a rock, right on the head. His body went limp and before I knew what was happening, the world turned upside down. One second I'm on a horse saddle, trying to hold onto my unconscious companion, and the next my head is smashing into debris and dirt. Will landed on top of me as our horse was swept off his feet by the explosion. I vaguely heard the bow snap in half and arrows scatter all around me.

"KAY!"

I groaned. Had someone just said my name? Wait, what was that on my face? My eyes blinked open and I brought my finger tips to my cheek. A warm, thick substance stained them. I gasped when I saw it was blood.


	47. Chapter 46

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**Chapter 46**

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**OH NO. I looked at my calendar... Turns out I have about 5 1/2 weeks!!!! So I really need to finish up Royal Findings II! Be prepared for more updates.**

**But PLEASE REVIEW.**

**I want this story to end with people reviewing each chapter, with support along the way. I don't want to just get a wave of reviews when I post the last chapter... I mean, that's great but I'd rather have consistent support. You know?**

**PLEAS PLEASE **_**ReViEw!**_

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"KAY!"

I couldn't tell if the voice was real or not. With the chaos ensuing around me, it was hard to concentrate. The dead weight of Will still pressed down on my bruised and battered body. I had no idea where our horse had gone or if it had even lived! And my heart thumped so quickly in my chest. Wait! What happened to Duke and Alyssa? They'd been closer to the fireball than us and look at our state! Will was out cold and I was bleeding on my head somewhere. Oh dear Aslan... Please let them be alive.

"KAY!"

Really? Was someone really calling my name? Well, best find out. I needed to get Will up and as far away from the scene as possible. He was the perfect target for the dragon and her helpers. All they needed to do was sweep down and take Will into their talons. Grunting, I managed to push Will off me. As I did, I caught sight of his right temple. I had to wince at what I saw. Obviously the piece of rock had done some real damage because a nasty cut leaked blood down his neck. The trail of red disappeared under his shirt.

Wait... I wasn't bleeding! That was Will's blood! My fingers brushed my forehead again, but I was startled when the contact stung. Never mind, I had a cut up there. Great... More pain.

"KAY!"

Suddenly, I remembered something: We were in the middle of a battle.

"CRAP!" I screamed when I saw a dark and large shadow on the grass a dozen feet away. Actually, make that eight feet. No! Now it was closer! Quickly, I grabbed onto Will's shoulders and made a run for it, dragging him. A ghoul swooped down and reached out with grotesque arms. With one burst of energy, I pulled on Will's body. The monster's fingers only brushed his foot... Thankfully, I had moved him just in time.

"KAY!"

This time, I took a moment to glance around us. And I gasped in horror to see that the Narnians were not faring well. We had been caught in a vulnerable position. Trying to win a battle on horseback against winged enemies was nearly impossible. We hadn't even had time to ready our archers! So now, we suffered. Everywhere I looked, spectres and ghouls swooped down and snatched soldiers. Up and up they went, cackling with sadistic expressions, before they gleefully dropped the soldiers to their deaths.

Fierce anger burned through my veins. And for a cruel moment, I thought that my fire would return. But it didn't. However, my Guardian abilities did. I could tell immediately when I was able to lift Will with one arm and throw him over my shoulder. A small smile came onto my face.

Finally- I could protect Narnia again.

Finally- I could fight.

Finally- I could save Susan.

"Finally I can kill you bastards!" I shouted as I began to run. My legs moved swiftly, almost dancing across the torn and bloody dirt below. Will's body seemed no heavier than a textbook. I sprinted into the midst of battle just in time to watch a faun be carried off in the talons of the dragon. His horrified screams rang loudly in my ears. I could hear everything now. I could hear the racing heartbeat of the centaur several feet away. I could hear an arrow slicing through the morning air. I could hear Peter panting heavily as I stabbed a creature. I could hear-

"KAY!"

Now, I knew exactly who had been calling my name. Alyssa's voice was clear and I followed the sound of her cry for help. Her voice was strained, as if it hurt her to call out. Within two seconds I was kneeling on the ground, ignoring the sounds of wings coming up behind me. I had several seconds before the monster would be close enough to be a threat. And I used those seconds wisely.

Alyssa was laying on her belly, one arm pressed against her side. As I arrived besides her dead horse, I could see the red stain on her tunic and leaking through her fingertips. She had been injured- seriously.

"There are bandages in here," I pointed to one of the side bags on the still horse. "I need to fight right now, I can't do it for you. But you need to stop the bleeding, okay?"

"Okay but-" Her mouth fell open in shock. I recognized the spark in her eyes as she watched something behind me. Fear.

As gently as I could, I leaned over and dropped Will onto the floor. "Protect him." Then, I turned around and transformed. Like Peter, I stopped being a teenager. Like Peter, I stopped being a follower. Like Peter, I changed into what Narnia needed me to be. He had changed into a High King and now it was my turn... My turn to become a leader.

I started being the Guardian.

The motions my body did were so incredibly natural, I didn't even have to think. My arms simply lowered and hands reached for my waist. My fingers slid around the cool metal and adrenaline pumped through me. Slowly, I straightened up and faced the oncoming attack.

A strange creature dived through the air, a maniacal expression met my stern and calm one. I had never encountered such a beast before, and so I mentally deemed it a 'horror'. It reminded me of the Horror monster I had read about in an adventure book several years ago. It only seemed fitting.

However, this horror monster differed from the book's version. This one could speak. It's voice was rough and unpleasant, almost like a crow's squawking. "DIE HUMAN!"

"Oh, just shut up," I sighed and crouched slightly. I was ready, I was in position. The stupid thing didn't realize that it was flying towards the most dangerous solder in Narnia! As the horror reached out with sickening arms to grab me, I struck. The blades in my hands tore through pale, thick flesh of the horror. Strangely colored blood spilled onto the floor and stained my tunic. The blood was nearly purple in color and I made a noise of disgust.

"That's nasty," I peered down at my ruined tunic. Then I looked back at Alyssa, "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yes," She hissed in pain. Delicately, she was binding her torso with bandages. "What a-are, owwww, you going t-to do?"

"Fight," I told her seriously. "I know this is going to be gross, but you and Will need to hide. And since there are no trees around, this will have to do."

Alyssa cried out in alarm as I lifted the dead horror and dropped it near her. "Hide under the wings and be very still, pretend to be dead. Don't make a sound! Scream if you've been discovered!"

"But-"

"Do it Alyssa!" I ordered before turning away. But then I realized something. I choked back a sob, "Oh my god. Where the hell is Duke?!"

"I don't know!" Alyssa pulled Will's body into the shelter of the horror's wing. "That's what I was trying to tell you, when I opened my eyes he was gone-"

I didn't hear the rest because I was already tearing across the battle field. My ears were tuning into the sounds all around me, my eyes jumped around looking for the handsome features of a water polo captain. I was attacked by a ghoul but I easily threw a Sai into it's chest. As soon as it landed on the dirt, I lifted and retrieved my weapon.

"Stand your ground!" I heard Edmund yell.

"AHHH!" A faun shouted as he was lifted into the air.

A cheetah roared as it jumped into the air and tackled a horror.

These sounds and more overwhelmed me. There was so much to hear! Too much to hear to locate Duke!

A centaur's hooves pounded onto the grass as he ran to help another soldier.

Peter grunted as he cut down a spectre.

Alyssa breathed lowly from beneath the wings of a horror.

"DUKE!" I cried out.

And to my absolute surprise, I received an answer, "WHAT?!"

My neck snapped to my right and I felt felt my heart soar. There, three dozen feet away, stood a sweaty and haggard Duke. His back was to me as he stood tall and proud. His arms held and drew a bow for a second before releasing an arrow. The slender weapon shot out into the morning sky. I watched hypnotized as the arrow pierced the neck of a grinning spectre. Instantly, the spectre screeched in pain and dropped its prisoner. The same faun I had heard earlier fell from the talons.

"CATCH HIM YOU IDIOT!" Duke's voice brought me back to reality. He wasn't even looking at me, but already shooting another arrow. I had no idea he was so skilled with a bow!

"Aye aye Captain," I saluted him as I zoomed past him. I heard him snigger from behind me. The faun was silent as he fell and as I took a good look at him, I realized that he had passed out. Well, that seemed understandable.

"Gotcha," I whispered as I jumped into the air and caught him in my arms. As we landed, I put him on the ground and slapped his cheek several times. Thankfully, his eyes fluttered open, "Wake up, we're still fighting. Oh, by the way Prince Duke saved your life."

And then it was time to move onto the next falling Narnian. Duke and I partnered up and we killed the enemy force- literally. We dominated the battle field. Duke's expertise with the bow astounded me but I didn't bother to ask him about it. Most likely he had been practicing secretly at college or took lessons. Who knows and who cares. All that mattered was that he was putting his skills to use. Occasionally, a winged creature attempted to dive and snatch him as he was in the middle of aiming another enemy, but I took care of them. Duke aimed and shot creatures at an impressive rate. He only paused for a second between each shot and that was to find a new target. Soon, there were only two horrors left in the air.

"You take the one on the left," Duke said pleasantly. Apparently, facing mortal danger didn't damper his spirits. "I'll have the one on the right."

I shrugged, "Okay."

Just as I began to pull my arm back to throw my Sai, a roar filled the air. With my enhanced hearing, the dragon's furious roar made my head spin. And as my head went dizzy with pain for several seconds... I failed to hear the powerful sweeping sounds of giant wings coming towards me. I failed to see the dragon's approach until I turned slightly, still disorientated, and found two black eyes staring at me. Two huge eyes full of power and filled with...

_Curiosity_?!

Words failed me as the dragon leaned forward and sniffed me. It was hovering over the ground but after smelling me, it fully landed on the ground. I stool perfectly still, my body so incredibly tense that it hurt. My heart felt ready to explode with fear and-

The dragon nudged me with her nose.

"W-What?" I stumbled back slightly from the push. Holy crap, I was inches away from a killing machine and all it wanted to do was smell me? Did it want to get a whiff of its meal before eating me? Were all dragons so strange?

She extended her neck again and pushed me with her nose. It was wet but warm, a small trail of smoke floated out of the two nostrils. This time, I was ready for her push and stood my ground. And suddenly I came to realize that I wasn't scared. Actually, I was curious too. Why was I so drawn to her? Why did I enjoy the company of a dragon? A dragon which came to kill my friends and loved ones?

The dragon backed her head away again but opened her mouth. I didn't flinch, not even when I could faintly hear voices shouting in warning. But strangely, they all seemed miles away. All my senses were focused on the dragon in front of me. And something told me that she could only see and hear me too. We were in our own little world. So when she breathed her warm breath on me, I closed my eyes and hummed happily. The tune was nameless but it was beautiful. I hummed without thinking and simply let the music take over.

The dragon made a noise and soon she was humming with me. Her hum was deep and solid, but soft all the same. Then I opened my eyes when a new feeling entered my chest. It was a yearning. Floating between the two of us was a tiny flame.

The flame was small and fragile, but it symbolized the greatest and most ancient power. A power that rivaled true love, a power that defeated Jadis the White Witch, and soon a power to destroy the Shadows. From the way the flame filled her eyes, I knew that the dragon had created the flame. Her eyes watched me carefully, almost excitedly, and I suddenly felt as if I were being tested. Bravely, I took a step forward. Well, even if I was the biggest coward in Narnia I couldn't stay away from the flame. It lured me in, dancing seductively and almost whispering the joys of power and passion into my ears. The fire was an addiction, a lover, a weapon. It was a wild thing, free of master and the world.

"No," I whispered as I lifted my arm. Slowly, I positioned my hand beneath the flame and let it warm my palm. "It's mine."

And without warning, the dragon released her hold on the flame. I could feel her retreat away mentally and magically. Whatever bit of witch that remained inside of me could sense it. I panicked and awaited for the flame to disappear.

But it remained.

Doubtful, I moved my palm to the right. The flame followed! A large smile came onto my face. I peered up at the dragon in wonder, "Did you do this for me?"

She hesitated, then nodded.

"Why?"

She could only stare at me.

"So I have my magic back?"

To my disappointment, she shook her head. But then tilted her head, as if to think, and nodded. I frowned, "What does that mean? I have fire but I don't have fire..."

She nodded but before I could ask another question, her head swung to the side. Suddenly, she roared, making me jump in surprise. I had been so used to our calm exchange that I had forgotten she was not a tame dragon, she was wild and lethal. Unfortunately, my loss of concentration made the flame vanish. All sense of content I had felt disappeared with it. I was left standing feeling empty and deserted... Cut off from my true power and nature.

"KAY!"

"KAYLA!"

"My lady!"

Voices shouted at me. I ignored them and stared blankly at the grass below. I didn't even notice the dragon flap her wings and fly away, growling and releasing steam out of her mouth and nose. All I could think about was the joy and sense of... completion I had felt when holding the flame. Somehow the dragon had none that I was a fire user, just like her. Our souls were joined by the fact that we were ruled by fire, ruled by passion, ruled by it's glory. Fire was part of us! And by some miracle, she had known that part of my soul was missing and had tried to return it to me.

Hands grabbed my shoulders and pulled my body around.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Someone shouted at me.

I kept staring at the ground, still puzzled and hurt by the experience.

"MAKAYLA STEEN WAKE UP!" A new voice thundered before a hand slapped across my face, hard and without mercy. That certainly snapped me out of my wonderland, because next thing I knew I was pushing my attacker away from me.

"Oww!" Alyssa grumbled from the ground and then hissed. "Crap, I think I'm bleeding again! Thanks a lot retard."

Instantly, I was at her side, completely alert again. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't realize what I was doing and-"

"Just get me new bandages," Alyssa growled at me. Man, she hated me.

"I think I can be of service," Lucy appeared in my view. She was flushed, making me think that she had been involved with fighting. Lucy kneeled besides Alyssa, lifted the tunic shirt, and began to examine the wound.

I stared at Lucy dumbly, "You."

Lucy paid no heed to my stupidity.

"Where were you during all this?" I asked. "I completely forgot about you-"

Someone snorted and I turned to see Peter, Edmund, and Duke standing a few feet away. Their expressions varied, but all did not seem to be in my favor at all. Peter looked upset and worried, but mostly angry, Edmund looked stunned with a hint of frustration, and Duke looked absolutely livid.

"Did you hit your head or something?" Duke lashed out, "What the fuc-"

"Language," Lucy piped up without looking up. She was already set on working on Alyssa's wound.

"What the _hell_ were you thinking?" Duke rephrased. "Just standing there with the dragon like that! Did you see it open it's mouth and-"

"She tried to help me!" I reached down to rest my hands on the handles of my Sais, that always helped calm or comfort me, but I was puzzled to find my belt empty. "Wait, where are my-"

"You dropped your Sais," Ed said in a flat voice. He pointed to the ground, "When the dragon opened its mouths you let them fall."

"Idiot!" Duke snapped, "You dropped your weapons! Even Alyssa is stupid enough to do that-"

"Hey!" Alyssa protested.

"Well, you're the newbie at this whole war thing," Duke pointed out.

I bent down, with my cheeks bright red, and picked up my Sais. However, I wasn't blushing, no I was red with fury. How dare they! How dare they treat me like a fool! "Have you all forgot that I'm a solider? I know how to identify a threat and the dragon wasn't my enemy. She was trying to-"

"She?" Ed scoffed in disbelief. "Whatever. Look, **it** killed at least three of our men. That monster murdered them-"

"She was defending herself!" I argued, "Please, just listen. I don't know to describe what just happened, but all I know is that she was trying to help me. She's not an enemy and I don't blame her for fighting! We were attacking her!"

"Because that beast was attacking us," Peter's cool voice interrupted me. His voice didn't break or hitch, in fact he sounded almost casual about it. In the past several seconds he had gained control of his expression too. Now, Peter appeared grim and severe. "I don't know what just happened, why it-"

"She," I corrected. My own voice surprised me, it gave the impression that I was unruffled when really all I wanted to do was yell and have a tantrum. My emotions couldn't handle this! I go from being a hard and tough soldier to a frightened human facing a dragon to a tranquil and blissful Fire Witch to a hopeless and empty girl being attacked by her friends. Seriously, I can't handle this sort of crap. And now my fiancé was treating me with such... monotone and impersonal behavior. Lovely.

"I may not understand why '_she'_ didn't kill you, but I do know that she slaughtered three of my friends. She threw one onto the ground with such force that his back and neck bones snapped in half. She killed the other two by chewing on their bodies as if they were toys. But they weren't toys Kay," Peter's eyes narrowed. "They were friends, they were fathers, and they were Narnians. And as Guardian, it's your **job** to protect them, not their killer. You took an oath and you appear to have forgotten that."

Jeez, he might as well stabbed me with this sword again. It wouldn't hurt anymore more than those condemning words. Apparently, I'm not a woman of my word now. Well, I guess the High freaking _King _(hah!) has forgotten that we've promised not to fight anymore... Fine, I won't fight, I'll simply walk away.

Because I'm a woman of my damn word.

I tucked my blades into their sheathes, "I took an oath to protect Narnians and dragons were once natives to this land and therefore Narnians."

"Yes, but they are no longer one of us," Peter said lowly.

"And I am no longer a person," I announced cooly. "Part of my soul is missing and you all, who claim to love me, can't even understand that. And that's okay, we've all had other things to focus on. But you know what? _She_ did notice... And she tried to help me. Don't you dare tell me she's not one of us because She's my sister, my fellow fire being. She is _me_."

"She killed-" Duke began tiredly.

"Fine," I lifted my hand. "That's enough, I don't need to hear anymore. I have a job to do and as his highness has just reminded me, an oath to fulfill. So, I'll be on my way then."

"Kay don't be ridiculous," Ed said warily. Apparently, he was the only one who recognized my sincerity. Everyone else still seemed to treat me with disbelief. Did Peter not realize how serious I was?

I think that in that instant, Peter did realize because his blank face became tense with apprehension. "W-What are you doing Kay?"

"I made a promise to not fight with you," I told him honestly. "And contrary to what you may believe, I am a woman of my word. So, I'm going to honor that promise and walk away-"

"Stop it Kayla," Duke reached out to hold onto me, but I easily jumped several feet away. My distancing alerted them all. Now all three men were staring at me with alarmed expressions. Desperate, Duke looked at Peter, "Dude you're the High King, order her to stay!"

"I answer to Aslan and only him," I announced as I walked away. "He has charged me with protecting Narnians... _all_ Narnians. Another promise I intend to keep."

"Kay?!" Lucy finally spoke up, she sounded scared. "Where are you going? The Telmarine castle is the other way-"

"Don't worry about me Lu, I'll be back." I sighed. "Tell Vicern I'll bring Susan back to him."

With a tug on my braid, to make sure it was still tight, I waved over my shoulder without looking back and began to run. I may have run away from my best friends and love, but I ran towards my destiny. I don't know where I'd find the dragon, but I knew she would find me. And together, we'd save Susan.

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**5.5 weeks** left to finish this story! So PLEASE let Royal Findings end with a **BANG **by writing tons of reviews! Thank you!!! **REVIEW!**


	48. Chapter 47

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**Chapter 47**

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**YAY! Royal Findings II now has over 700 reviews. AWESOME! Thank you to everyone to took the time to review when they normally don't, I appreciate it. And THANK YOU to all my normal reviewers, you guys have no idea how much I rely on your support.**

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Aw, crap.

I stood there, in the middle of nowhere, and the only thing I could think was 'Aw, crap' when I should have been thinking about where the hell I was going. Alone and only carrying my Sais and wand, I found myself questioning my sanity. What in the name of Aslan had I just done? In the middle of a war, I had voluntarily separated myself from the rest of my army. Stupid, stupid girl! Now what would I do if the Shadows sent more monsters?

I was dead.

And let's say by some _miracle_, I actually did find the dragon or perhaps even come out victorious in this war. So yes, hypothetically I survive and successfully fulfill my role of Guardian... Then what? Then I reunite with... _them._ Then what? I knew exactly what would happen: drama.

Drama and fury from Peter. Drama and frustration from Edmund. Drama and worry from Lucy. Drama and criticism from Duke. The list just went on and on! People were not pleased with my decision to leave the group and I didn't blame them. Now that I found myself all alone and hungry, I realized how rash and ridiculous that choice had been. How stupid was I? To leave without a horse or supplies! To leave without thinking things through!

Aw, crap indeed!

But my isolation for the past day granted me the time to think it all out. I've realized that I did not regret leaving, but I just wished that I could have been more practical about it.

I sighed and plopped down on the grass. I had traveled South and arrived at the Rush River. I knew that if I crossed and walked several miles Southwest I would find myself in a special place. I would find the hills where the original army of Aslan had set up camp. The place where I had first kissed Peter. The place where I had met Vicern. The place where I received my Guardian abilities... In essence, the place where my destiny had began.

My stomach growled for several long seconds.

"Bugger," I swore under my breath. It had been an entire day since I had left my friends. It had been an entire day since I had eaten. The effects on my body were tremendous, I felt so extremely tired. Every few minutes my legs trembled and I had to ignore the rumbling in my stomach. At least it wasn't hot today. Actually, the weather worried me. The usual sunshine was absent in Narnia- A grim, cool mist had replaced with warmth.

Maybe a nice nap would help...

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The weather woke me up. My body shivered from the cold touch of the misty, my now damp hair spilled out of the constraints of my braid, and my breath was visible in the chilly air.

"W-What the hell?" I managed to say through chattering teeth. Sitting up, I wrapped my arms around my torso and looked about. Everywhere! The mist was everywhere! It hid the river which I could hear only a few feet away. It hid the sky and so I failed to see whether it was day or night! When I had fallen asleep it had been sunny and perfect...

My dire situation had gone from bad to worse.

Aw, crap.

And then it went from worse to doomed when a monster roared suddenly. I didn't need my Guardian hearing to catch the frightening sound, because the thing was close. Way too close.

"Aw crap," I scrambled to my feet. I began to run, tearing off in a direction which I believed was opposite to where the monster stood. "Crap! Crap! Crap!"

Apparently, the monster had good hearing too because soon I heard another roar and it was closing in- WAIT! I _knew_ that roar. Without thinking it out, I came to a stop and turned around. As a precaution, my hands went down to my belt and withdrew my Sais.

A shadow formed in the mist. Steadily it became darker and larger.

"Dragon!" I shouted in warning. Was I correct? Was it really the dragon? Dear Aslan, let it be the dragon... Otherwise, I just gave away my position to a dangerous beast.

The thing didn't respond but continued to run towards me. Slowly, I began to recognize features from the dark outline of its form. Yes! There was her long neck and horns! And there her tail! "DRAGON!" I shouted, now confused at why she was charging at me. Did she think I was an enemy? "Dragon! It's me!"

And then the strangest and most random thing happened.

"My name is Wilesia," The dragon came to a sudden stop in front of me. She lowered her head and nodded in acknowledgement.

Oh... My... God.

"Holy shit! YOU TALK!?" I screeched, failing to be the graceful and calm Princess I'm expected to be. I've never heard of a Princess who swore. "All this time... You can talk!?"

Wait, this shouldn't be possible... HAH! Who am I kidding? I've found out there are other worlds, animals talk, and magic exists. So why shouldn't it make sense that a dragon could speak? Even in my world, they were viewed to be a special kind of creature, more powerful and magical than others... So if a rabbit or beaver could talk... Why not a dragon?

The dragon stared at me before sighing. Yes, a damn dragon sighed at me.

"I had a bloody falling out with my companions because of you!" I ranted foolishly. To be honest, I was in too much shock to think or talk sensibly. So, I began to chastise a dragon... Obviously, no _sane_ person would ever attempt such a thing. But again, I'm doubting my sanity. "They were angry that I didn't kill you! They think that you're some crazy, heartless killing machine and that I was an idiot and traitor for not finishing you off. Ugh! I tried to tell them they were wrong but they didn't believe me and so now I'm out here alone and cold. But you can freaking _talk_! If you had just talked then-"

"Human," The dragon, oh excuse me, _Wilesia_ said tiredly.

I ignored her and pointed my Sai at her, "You could have prevented all of this! Look at me! I have no supplies, I'm starving, I'm freezing my ass off, and I'm wearing a tunic that smells nasty. You know why? Because I have monster blood all over me! Oh and another thing-"

"Human," Wilesia snorted, sending steam flying at my face. Although it looked like the mist around us, this watery spray brought heat to my face. "That is enough."

I shut up immediately.

"Are all humans so... aggravating?" She asked bluntly.

"No," I said slowly. "Are you going to eat me?"

"No."

My shoulders fell in relief. "In that case, hello. I'm Kay," I then lifted my sais cautiously. "I don't mean to sound dumb (I swear she rolled her eyes here) but I... I had no idea dragons existed. Now I find out that you do_ and_ you guys can talk! So excuse me if I come across as rude when I ask, who the hell are you siding with? Evil or good?"

Wilesia tilted her head to the side, almost curious at my question. After a few moments, she answered, "I serve my family and the Dragon Empire."

My hold on my blades tightened, "Again, good or evil?"

"I do not fight for those Shadow creatures," Wilesia blew some steam out of her nose angrily. "Those cruel monsters! No more!"

"Then why did you lead an attack on my company?" I growled. Even though she was larger, more powerful, and obviously could kill me in an instant I didn't back down. Unlike Peter, I didn't have a cool manner, I get too passionate. Oh, how my emotions will be my demise!

Wilesia peered at my blades as she answered, "That is a complicated answer. We do not have the time to banter here, climb on my back."

_Silence._

When I overcame my surprise, I snorted. "You're joking."

"I do not joke," Wilesia replied seriously. "If you want to save your home then you will climb onto my back."

My eyes narrowed, "Why?"

"I will take you to the Empire, you will need my people's help if you wish to win this war. Now come, I shall answer all your questions."

I bit my lip, "Why? Why are you doing this?"

I realized her voice was a beautiful one. I found it more alluring and mesmerizing than even the renowned voices of the dryads. Wilesia's voice was deep and powerful, almost matching the rumbling that erupted from her chest and throat as she roared. But strangely, there was a tender and amiable undertone to it all. The hint of a feminine softness brought a sense of comfort to my pounding heart.

She lowered her head and gingerly pressed her nose against mine, "I serve my family and the Dragon Empire... You, my dear human, are my sister."

"Oh!" I gasped. It had to be magic... Only magic could have connected our souls like this. Her words were a huge relief because it proved that I was not the only one who felt our bond. Wilesia and I were bound by fire, by magic, by passion. I slipped the sais into their sheaths and jumped off the grass. With inhuman strength I flew into the air and landed on her back.

"Hold on," Wilesia warned, "I do not know how a human will cope with such a flight."

I frowned, "How far is Dragon Island?"

"A three day journey."

"What? We can't go! There's no time- AHHHHHHHH!" My hands wrapped around the base of her neck and legs tensed. Shrieking, I went dizzy with the terrifying sensation of flying. The feeling of shooting up into the sky at such a speed was worse than a roller coaster drop. Water dripped off my nose and limbs as we were drenched by the mist. As we went higher and higher, the temperature rose with us. Bravely, I opened my eyes and stopped shrieking just as we broke through the top of the mist.

Sunshine. Glorious sunshine beamed down on us! Wilesia's body trembled with pleasure at the tingling the sunshine brought on her. Ah yes, I could relate to the dragons. In similar content, I managed to sit up and tip my head backwards, enjoying the warmth. Did dragons dislike being underground like me? Did they bask in sunshine too?

Thankfully, Wilesia leveled out and flew at a constant speed. I now could release my firm hold on her.

"You must have a lot of questions," She broke the silence.

"Millions," I nodded. "Do you have the patience for them?"

"We dragons are arguably the most mildly tempered creatures to have ever lived in Narnia," Wilesia replied, sounding amused. "I have never understood why others have viewed us as vicious beasts."

"You're big and your teeth are pointy," I shrugged.

"Ah, but appearances do not define character. Surely you believe that?"

"True," I paused, "Wow, I'm talking to a dragon."

"Your accent is strange," Wilesia noted, ignoring my stupidity. "What land do you hail from? Perhaps Archenland?"

"I'm not from around here... Wait, have you not heard? How Jadis the White Witch was defeated?" I asked, puzzled.

"I was turned to stone more than 1400 years ago, by the White Witch. The Empire had sent me as an ambassador to Narnia, to speak to this Witch who had taken control of the land. Just as I had arrived and expressed to the Empire's wish to remain free from her power, the Witch pointed her wand at me and well... I knew no more." Wilesia's voice went low. "If I had known that the Shadows were not allies, then I would not have helped them. My knowledge was very limited when I found myself alive again."

"How-" I began to question her.

"I do not know how they freed me, but I do not care. When I was alive once more, I found strange beings standing in front of me. Later, I realized that some were the legendary human species. I sensed the dark magic in them, and in one, I felt the power of fire. As I have said, I serve my family and at the time, I believed that the human female was a sister of the Empire... Now, I know that she is only an impostor of my real sister."

Blood drained out of my face, "I-It was me... Well, my b-body at least right?"

"Yes, the Shadow has your same body. I do not know how but-"

"I died once," I supplied. "They put my body into a tomb where the Shadows stole and must have used magic to erm, regenerate it or something."

"You... died?" For once, Wilesia did not sound assured. Never once had she paused or gave any hint of uncertainty when she spoke. She possessed an aura of authority and control, which I greatly admired. It made sense though, she mentioned being an Ambassador. So, it was strange to hear her puzzled.

"The humans seemed excited at my awakening," Wilesia picked up her story easily. She did not linger on the uncomfortable topic of my death thankfully. "They tested my knowledge of language, much to my amusement, and I realized that they did not know that I could speak. So, I allowed them to learn that I could understand their words, but simply chose to remain silent. I am glad for they underestimated my intelligence. Perhaps it was to my advantage that dragons are notorious for being dumb, uncivilized beasts."

"Hey Wilesia?"

"Your diction is strange too," Wilesia mused. "Why do you say 'hay' before my name?"

I flushed, "Actually, it's 'h-e-y' and sorry, it means hello or in this instance, a term to get attention. Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse you-"

"Hey Kay," Wilesia said the words slowly, testing them out. Then she chuckled, making her body shake under me. "Please, ask your question."

Wow, she learns fast. Already she's putting modern language to use!

"How many humans were there?" I asked.

"Two but there was one elf present as well. All were female."

"What did the other human look like?" I was scared of the answer.

"The human female was fair with long brown hair-"

"Susan!" I choked out, "Oh Aslan, so it's true. Susan..."

"I assume that Susan is her true name," Wilesia said softly. "And from your response, I believe you know this human?"

"Yes," Was all I could say.

"I am sorry," My dragon friend lamented. "Perhaps you know the elf then?"

"Yes," Now my voice was hoarse.

"I will let you explain when you are feeling emotionally stable... Ah, so yes, I awoke and they used me as a tool in their war. They claimed that a human clan had invaded Narnia and threatened all magical beasts, including dragons. They told me that by helping them, I would ensure the freedom of my people who were being held prisoner-"

"That's not true," I managed to say. "There's no dragons in Narnia."

"So my intuition was correct," Wilesia didn't sound surprised. "But you must understand that I was confused and disorientated at the time. Having woken up to such a drastically altered land when it seemed that only seconds ago I had been turned to stone in a world of snow! They treated me well enough, leaving me be for the most part, and so I did not see the harm in helping. I believed that I would be aiding in the fight for Narnians against violent humans.

And so, one night they sent me to scout the surrounding area and there I saw your encampment. After reporting my findings, they sent reinforcements and the battle began. But having come into such close contact with you, I sensed your magic. Although your soul is not complete, the magic that lingers dormant in your veins is powerful... Much more powerful than in what I assumed was your twin sister. The Shadow has taken control of your body but it fails to control the fire inside it. Fire requires a special sort of a soul..."

"What do you mean?" I was absolutely enthralled by her storytelling.

"I will let the elders at the Empire explain," Wilesia hummed. "We are at the shore now, hold on tightly. We will find some food before we cross the ocean waters."

"We're going back into _that_?" I peered down at the thick mist.

"We have no choice, once we are over the ocean there is no other land with adequate food. There are only small empty islands." She explained, "Besides, the mist is not dangerous, only cold. The Shadows do not have power to make it toxic-"

"The Shadows caused the mist?" I gasped.

"Yes, they have magic that I have never encountered before. The Empire will need to know about this new power. Please, hold on!"

And with that, she dove down into the mist, wings ducked in. I suddenly knew how a bullet felt.

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An hour later we were flying away from the shore. My stomach had been satisfied with deer meat. Tied down behind was a large bundle of meat, which we would eat for the rest of the trip. It smelled horrible and blood leaked out onto Wilesia's scales, but it was necessary.

"Why are we going to Dragon Island?" I finally had the courage to ask her. "I think we should stay in Narnia and fight. What if the Shadow's attack before we return-"

"We can't do this alone," Wilesia said gravely. "I know that you believe we could, but it is not possible. I have fire and-"

"So do I!" I protested. "United we could-"

"No," Wilesia replied bluntly. "You do not. You could barely hold up the flame I gave you. Kay, you need to have your magic awakened and I only know of one way to do that-"

"My magic always returns when Narnia is in trouble!"

"Yes, but if my theory is correct, then your magic _has_ indeed returned... But to the wrong body. The Shadow has your magic, but it fails to cope with such raw power. The Shadows have dark, strange magic and it seems that our pure fire is difficult to control."

I gaped, "A-Are you saying that my fire has returned? Just to the wrong me?"

"I believe so," Wilesia nodded her head as we continued flying. I had retrained my hair in the tightest braid I could tie, because the strength of the wind up here in the heavens was great. To avoid pain, I kept my eyes firmly shut and safe from drying out. "I heard them discussing their desire to capture you and your wand. The Shadow has come to realize that unless he has your wand, the fire inside will explode and kill him."

"Yes," I nodded in understanding. "The power will continue to build up and without the wand to control it, the simplest change in emotion could prove deadly."

"Interesting for my kind do not have that problem. Perhaps our bodies are stronger in harvesting and controlling the magic."

"Well," I snorted. "In my world there is no such thing as magic. I'm surprised I haven't blown up already, I'm too emotional."

"Your world? Please, explain."

"We have three days," I whispered. "I will share what you have missed these past 1400 years. But that can wait, please, what else do you know about these Shadows?"

"I kept my distance for the most part, so I do not know much. However, I do know that their numbers grow with every hour. New hordes of beasts join their ranks and even the Giants of the north have sworn allegiance to the Shadows."

"Why do we need the Dragon Empire's help then? The Narnian army surely has more soldiers! We have the original Narnians, elves, and Telmarines all united and-"

"I fear that numbers will not win this war," Wilesia murmured. "Magic will determine who is victorious. You do not understand these Shadows. Their magic and power is not limited in the same way that the Narnian magic is. For example, they have easily covered the entire country in a thick mist! Their magic is cold, dark, evil and-"

"Basically, the opposite of fire," I grumbled. "So what? We bring back some dragons and then what?"

"You humans do not posses much patience," Wilesia snorted. "Do you not realize the implications of having an army of dragons? Rather than have thousands die in violence, we can make this a battle of magic, not spears. If we unite our fires then I am sure the Shadows will fall and prevent any hand-to-hand combat."

My eyes were wide, "S-Save thousands? Is it possible?"

Could we really keep everyone from fighting? If the two armies fought, she was right, thousands would die... So much spilled blood... But could we really keep that from happening? Were the dragons powerful enough to counter such dark magic? Wilesia was their ambassador, I assumed that to gain such a position she was educated and intelligent. Her mannerism and words implied a sort of high position. But yes, if she was right, which I believed to be true, we could save so many lives. Alyssa and Will would be perfectly safe, they were sitting ducks for the Shadows. Peter and Edmund wouldn't need to enter another battle... They have survived many but I didn't want to try their luck again. And Duke, heavens no, he was too rash! I needed to keep him away from war!

"Can we stop this war?" I asked quietly.

"Yes."

"Okay," I relented and closed my eyes. This was going to be a long ride.

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**Notes to a Few Reviewers**:

**Berria**: I have read Angels and Demons, saw the movie too. I don't like Tom Hanks too much haha.

**Aims5**: I'm sorry, I don't want to give away my identity because I know people who also use this site. I would like to remain anonymous, but I am attending a top university on the East Coast of the USA. So bring on the stress! Wohooo!

**Final Fairy**: Unfortunately, I do not have the knowledge or skills to translate this story into Portuguese! I wish I could though, it's a very cool language!

**Phil Archer**: After posting a chapter, I always look forward to reading your review. I apologize for not posting a side note like this before, because you certainly deserve it! Thank you for your honest and constructive opinion, suggestions, and remarks. I highly value your reviews and they serve as a great reminder to keep my characters true and realistic. Although you didn't fancy Kay and Wilesia teaming up, I hope that you continue to read my story!

**Aandm18**: ahaha! 'joy-gasm' Just wanted to let you know that I'm stealing your phrase and using it in my life.

**Dares to Dream**: I always smile when I see your reviews. You're consistent and just a cool reader. SO THANK YOU.

**High Queen Crystal:** *cough* Wilesia would kick Saphira's butt *cough* hehe


	49. Chapter 48

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**Chapter 48**

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**I ditched a graduation party in a hotel room to write this. Gosh, I love being a nerd. (Actually, I already went to 2 other parties this weekend so I can't be bothered anymore...)**

**Ahh! I love you all! THANK YOU for the wonderful reviews!**

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Flying without a blanket at night was one of the worst experiences of my life. Without my magic to provide me with internal warmth, I wasn't spared from the chilly night air. And to make matters worse, dragons are not comfortable steeds. Scales didn't provide much padding and soon, I had lost all feeling in my behind. Adding to my dread was my tunic, which smelled vile and itched my skin. Oh yes, I was a whiner. But I couldn't really help it, the whole journey was tiring and boring. It had taken only an hour or two to tell Wilesia my entire story and explain what she had missed in the world. After that, a silence fell over us. I think she was too tired to talk continuously and I was too focused on trying to cling onto her back. Falling thousands of feet into the ocean didn't seem too fun... And to be honest, it frightened me. To the point where I trembled and kept my eyes closed for three hours.

I could just hear my screams echoing from the waters below. I could just see Edmund being tossed around and broken like a twig.

"You are afraid of the ocean?" Wilesia had looked back at my cowering form.

"Bad memories," I mumbled. "You know why."

"Ah, the arrow incident," She nodded and faced forward once again. After that, she had left me alone. I was grateful for her understanding and sense of respect and privacy. Wilesia was incredibly mature and wise... It made me wonder if all dragons were like her in temperament. We found a tiny island and rested for several hours that night. It was our last night of travel and our food supply was nearly gone. This would be our last meal and so we enjoyed it as best as we could. As we landed, I estimated that I could have run around the perimeter of the island in about two minutes, so there was no point in exploring this small piece of land. Besides ourselves, the only thing that kept the sand company were a few thin palm trees. But Wilesia knocked them down with her tail and bent them with her teeth. She piled them together and set them on fire.

"Finally!" I cried out in relief, "Warmth!"

Wilesia curled up while I cooked the meat. She was beyond exhausted now and soon, her body rose up and down as she snored. Yes, dragons snored. They really were no different to humans- except in body obviously. The deer meat tasted fantastic. Well, when you're starving anything would taste good. My throat burned as I swallowed the meat though, because it had been two days now since I had drank water. I was feeling dizzy from dehydration... We spent nearly all hours of the day basking in the sun. Did dragons need water like humans?

Wilesia released a rough snore, and to my surprise a small fireball flew out. It evaporated within a few seconds. Well... I won't be sleeping near her tonight. If she rolled over, she'd crush me. If she snored like that again, she'd burn me. If she got an itch, she'd slice right through me with those claws.

I left her portion of meat alone, knowing she would cook and eat it when she woke up, and laid down in the sand on the opposite side of the bonfire. Everything felt horrible... My body ached, my hair was absolutely disgusting, and I smelled like death. In the morning I would swim in the waters and then dry as Wilesia and I flew under the sun again. Yes... Tomorrow morning would be better... And tomorrow we'd finally arrive at the Empire.

The last thing I saw before I fell asleep was the great wall of flames. They stood there, guarding the tired dragon and human. They danced and intertwined. They sent a tingling sensation throughout my skin, reminding me of the power I once felt. Tears fell from my eyes as a great sense of emptiness overwhelmed me. I needed my soul back.

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"It smells," A masculine voice said in revulsion, "Shall we kill it?"

"No!" I recognized Wilesia's voice immediately. Her roar of alarm fully woke me up and I opened my eyes.

Two beady black eyes were only inches away from my own, they were full of suspicion. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed and jumped back, only throwing more sand onto my already itchy body. Staring at me was a new dragon, this one much larger than Wilesia. He was a dark green and his facial scales shined as he continued to inspect me. At my scream though, his neck pulled back his face and he glared.

"It is annoying," He declared with a stark nod of his head. "I don't like it, may we please kill it Ambassador?"

Terrified, I withdrew my sais and glanced around. Wilesia stood to the side with a third dragon. This one was also larger than her and had black scales. He was thinner than the other two and yet seemed more dangerous... He stood regally and regarded me with cold eyes. A streak of fear flashed through my body. Who the hell was this guy?

"Wilesia?" I said uncertainly.

"It speaks!" The green dragon suddenly grinned, revealing a row of extremely sharp and white teeth. To my shock, his voice was light and bouncy. His voice ruined every sense of intimidation and danger his teeth had just established. "Fascinating! Never mind, let's keep it alive!"

"Of course I talk," I snapped at him, unafraid now. "And I'm not an 'it' excuse me!"

"And _it_ bites," The black dragon noted. His voice was deep and smooth, full of power and allure. The hairs on the back of my neck stuck up, I was officially threatened. My grip on my blades tightened. _This_ dragon still worried me.

"_She_ is a friend of the Empire," Wilesia spoke up firmly. "Kay, allow me to introduce-"

"I'm Redwens," The green dragon lowered his head again. Our faces were close again and I did my best to remain calm, but my heart began to pound furiously. "And who are you little one?"

"My name is Kay," I slowly put my sais away, but didn't break eye contact. "I am a human from Narnia-"

"Your apparel says otherwise," The black dragon cut in cooly. He didn't even look at me but chose to stare out at the ocean, appearing to be bored. "Your body doesn't even have a proper coat of fur. A tattered piece of cloth will not keep a creature like you warm enough. A land of snow requires-"

This time, I interrupted. My voice was flat, sounding much more calm than I felt. "Narnia is free of the White Witch. The everlasting winter is gone. You need to catch up with the times dude."

"My name is not dude," The black dragon looked sharply at Wilesia. "What is this Ambassador Wilesia? Are all humans so-"

"Amazing? Friendly? Intelligent?" I offered kindly.

"Pathetic," Finished the black dragon. My eyes narrowed at him. This guy had an attitude problem and something told me that it had to do with status... Because Wilesia didn't reprimand him.

Instead she spoke patiently, "Prince Tervian, she does not understand. Dragons have been forgotten in Narnia and so our customs-"

"Prince?" I frowned. "Wait, _what_?"

"Listen well human, you shall address me only by my title since you are beneath-"

"Excuse me," I rolled my eyes. "We have equal position, I'm technically a Princess but unlike you I don't show it off."

Silence.

Then Redwens' burst into laughter, a long stream of smoke floated out of his nostrils. "Terv, I believe I like these humans!"

"Terv?" I laughed, "I like it."

Before the Prince could retaliate, Wilesia stepped in. She wasn't smiling but she didn't appear upset. Obviously she was accustomed to remaining neutral: a solid Ambassador. "We must return to the Empire. Prince Tervian, we shall explain everything but only when we meet with your father. There is not time to explain our stories more than once. There is war in Narnia and we must stop it-"

"Why?" Tervian sounded angry, probably still affronted by my backtalk. "The White Witch banished our people with her sorcery, let them deal with their own problems."

"Well aren't you a kind and caring Prince?" I crossed my arms, "Listen Terv, Jadis is dead. This is a war between worlds-"

"We will explain," Wilesia promised. "Just understand that if we do not end this world in Narnia, it will spread and reach the Empire. We must speak with your father."

Terv blew out steam impatiently, "Fine. Let us be off then."

"I'll carry the human!" Redwens shouted gleefully. "Come little one!"

I gaped at him and then looked warily at Wilesia, "Is he going to eat me?"

She smiled, "No."

"Is he sane?"

"No," The prince answered dryly.

"Terv!" Redwens swatted his tail but the royal dragon easily ducked. "Don't worry little one, you'll be safe with me! Hehe!"

Yes, a male dragon giggled.

I grinned, "I think you and I are going to get along just fine Redwens."

"Yippee! Now climb on my back!" He lowered his back but shivered with excitement, "A real human! Aha! How everyone will be jealous when they find out I carried a human! Hehe! Now, try not to hurt yourself little-"

I jumped onto his back smoothly, "Onward my noble steed!"

"Humans are... strange," Tervian continued to observe me. His cold exterior didn't even seem bothered by Redwens' warm and energetic nature. How could they stand each other? They seemed to be polar opposites!

"No, we're just fun," I replied with a wave. Redwens laughed as we launched into the sky. Redwens was much more comfortable to sit on than Wilesia. Since he was larger, his torso was wider and provided more leveled space for my behind. His green scales glowed beautifully in the sunlight and I suddenly wished that we had dragons back home. My sister would have loved them.

"So you are unfamiliar with the Empire?" Redwens asked curiously. "How odd! Hehe!"

"Well, Wilesia did tell me the basics."

Wilesia had described her own home after I had told her everything about my own. She was fascinated the concept that I came from a world where there were no dragons or talking animals. When I told her there was no such thing as magic, she had been devastated. Almost to counter this 'sad' aspect, she launched into tales about the Empire. The dragons seemed to have a very modern culture. They lived in separate homes and everyone had a role in society. Some were soldiers, some hunters, some builders, some blacksmiths, and so on. Each family unit had their own cave, which sounded very like the concept of a family living in a house. Like humans, they also had communal halls and events.

The Empire had a council of Elders who were elected by the general dragon population. They handled most of the responsibilities of government and organization, but still served the King. When Wilesia had left the Empire for Narnia on her mission, King Ceurn ruled. But dragons only had a lifespan of about 500 years... She fully expected a new ruler and therefore some changes in her homeland. Poor Wilesia... Her family and friends would have already died. I didn't even know if she had been married or had children. I didn't want to ask.

"Your accent is odd," Redwens suddenly said, pulling me back to reality. "You look funny too."

"And I smell bad," I agreed. "Trust me, I don't normally appear or smell this way. I was in a battle just before Wilesia and I left for the Empire so I'm in bad shape right now."

"Ah, I will have to wait until we speak to the King to hear about this battle. In the meantime, tell me about your kind! For many centuries we have heard the legends about humans... I never realized you were all so... _small_!"

I sniggered, "Appearances can be deceiving."

"How true! Aren't you a clever little thing?" Redwens giggled again.

"Uh, thanks? Anyways, how far is the Empire?"

"Less than an hour's flight," He informed me. "Better get comfortable tiny human."

"Stop calling me small!" I muttered.

"But you are."

"No, you dragons are just big and fat."

Redwens laughed so hard that I struggled to stay put on his shaking torso. And that's how the hour passed so quickly. Redwens was a lovable and goofy character- completely ruining my scary and cruel concept of dragons in general. He explained that he and Prince Tervian had been racing to the island and back to the Empire when they saw Wilesia and a strange creature (me) sleeping. When landing, Wilesia had awoken and introduced herself. Naturally, Redwens and Tervian had been astounded to meet the legendary Wilesia. Her bravery to volunteer to speak with White Witch, a mission which she had never returned from, had earned her fame. To add to their shock, they met a human who smelled badly (me again).

"May I have a bath after meeting with the King?" I groaned, "I hate feeling so crappy and dirty."

"Yes, I will get that arranged for you. But what is this 'crappy' word?"

I laughed, "Don't worry about it."

"You're weird."

"No, I'm special."

Redwens ignored my correction and announced, "There is Dragon Island."

I opened my eyes and they winced at the air that streamed onto my face, but I managed to make out the scene below. We were steadily descending from the clouds and towards the island... Wait no!

"That is NOT an island!" I exclaimed, eyes going large in surprise. "That's a freaking continent!"

"Well it is surrounded by water on all sides so-" Redwens began to explain.

"Yes, but when you think about it ALL continents are surrounded by water. And Redwens, that's not an island. That's a massive land mass!"

It was true, even from hundreds of feet up in the sky, I couldn't see where the Dragon _Island_ ended! The land just continued on forever on the horizon... How did this country get called an island? HAH! It made sense though, because all this time I've been wondering how a large population of dragons could live comfortably on an island. Obviously, they wouldn't have problems if they had their own freaking continent. Well, hmmm, maybe it was like the United Kingdom? A country which was technically like an oversized island?

"The United Kingdom of Dragons," I snorted to myself.

"What was that?"

"Uh, nothing."

Redwens giggled, "Hold on my teeny tiny companion, down we go!"

"Stop calling me- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

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I bent over and threw up.

"That smells awful too," Redwens leaped away from me. His jumps made the ground tremble and I struggled to remain standing. My legs shook visibly as they dealt with exhaustion and dizziness from my brain. Unlike Wilesia, Redwens didn't understand how easy it was to upset a human's stomach. When he said we were going 'down' he really meant it. Rather than descend slowly, he chose to dive vertically down towards the land. And hearing my screams did nothing to stop him from pulling up at the last possible second. Only when I fell off him and began to retch violently did he realize something was wrong.

My throat burned and I felt like passing out. I stumbled backwards and tripped over a brush. With a yelp, which only made my throat sear in pain, I went crashing into the greenery. And what did Redwens do? Giggle of course!

"Little one... Come on, Terv and Ambassador Wilesia have already flown on to the palace."

I couldn't even lift myself off the ground and broken branches. The sharp, splintered wood had cut into my exposed skin. Now, my arms and legs were covered in scratches. When I opened my mouth to try and ask for help, I ended up spluttering instead. My cheek had been cut and a little trail of blood fell to the corner of my mouth. But even after spitting out the warm liquid, I couldn't speak. I just felt so... so...

"Little one?" Redwens stopped giggly.

Ugh... Had he just said something? I-I couldn't tell anymore. W-What's...

"H-Human!?" Now the dragon sounded frightened. "Are you..."

I felt so damn dizzy...

One second I was closing my eyes and the next I was opening them. One second I'm staring up into a blurry mess of green and brown, hearing a bird sing in the distance, or maybe it was a dragon talking. I couldn't tell the difference. But it didn't matter because the next second, I was staring up a dark, shiny stone ceiling. The only sound that echoed off the smooth walls were the echoes of my gasping as I awoke. Obviously I'd passed out. Disorientated, I slowly sat up and realized that I was alone in the spacious cave. It was lit well, with...

"COOL!" I winced when my voice bounced off the cave walls. But I couldn't help crying out! Balls of fire floated high alongside the walls, acting as torches, except they weren't held up by anything... Magic! Already I knew I would love the Dragon's home.

Sitting up, I was relieved to find that I felt stronger. In fact, I slid easily off the table I had been laying on. It was made of stone and covered in animal hides and furs. Strange... It reminded me of a temple's table of sacrifice or something. The fact that there was absolutely nothing else in the cave aside from the floating lights and the table made the cave seem... special? Holy? I shrugged it off, not really caring. My only interest at the moment was to find Wilesia or Redwens.

Wait.

I glanced down at myself and nearly cried in happiness. My disgusting and blood-stained tunic was gone. In place I wore one of the prettiest gowns I had ever seen. But it was foreign looking, nothing like the Narnian or Archenland gowns. It was white and made of some sort of shiny material. Curious, I lifted my hands to my head and sighed in content. My hair was clean and soft again!

Okay, no more ogling myself. Time to find my lost friends!

"H-Hello?" I began to walk towards the only exit in the cave. It was a massive open doorway, but that made sense because the dragons were large. I expected everything on this 'island' to be huge. I stood in the doorway and listened carefully. In the distance I could hear voices, but they were several hallways away judging by the echoes. What caught my attention was the deep sound of breathing only a few feet away. Immediately, I walked fully out of the cave and into a large hallway. To the right stood a serious looking dragon with deep purple scales. It sat rigidly and I realized that it was a posted guard. They'd put a guard outside my cave? I didn't know whether I should have been flattered or annoyed.

"Uh," I eye the dragon warily. "Hi?"

"Your highness," He replied formally. I wanted to roll my eyes, but I didn't think that would be the best thing to do. I mean, sure I have my Guardian abilities, but other than that I was unarmed. And he was a freaking dragon... Probably a soldier too judging by his position as guard. Well, whatever, apparently the dragons had found out my identity and title.

"Erm, it's just Kay," I tried to sound pleasant. But really, I was anxious to find Wilesia. We needed to head back to Narnia and help! There wasn't any time to waste! "Can you please take me to Wilesia?"

"Ambassador Wilesia is currently resting," The dragon got to his feet and I winced when I felt the slight tremble of the floor. Dang, these dragons were heavy! "I have orders to take you to King Ulwin."

Ulwin? Guess the old king died.

"Okay," I nodded. "Lead the way!"

For the entire trip, the dragon didn't say a word to me. I didn't mind though because I was too busy staring at everything. We walked and turned into several hallways. There were art pieces such as tapestries and sculptures throughout which dwarfed me. I felt so small and insignificant! This only worsened every time we came across another dragon or group of them. They all stopped talking or laughing to stare and gawk at me. That didn't really bother me except for the fact that their eyes were dozens of feet above me. I was towered by absolutely everything and everyone. Never had I been so... small. I didn't like the feeling. Had Mr. and Mrs. Beaver felt like this? Had the smaller Narnians been intimidated by us larger beings? Well, if they had, they certainly hadn't shown it! So I did my best to follow their examples and act normally.

"Good day," I greeted to a staring blue dragon.

"Hello," I said to a bright green dragon.

"What's up?" I saluted to a grey dragon.

No one ever responded. How rude! Still, it was nice to know that someone so little as me could make dragons freeze in place. I guess size doesn't matter! I kept repeating that in my head as I continued to follow the silent guard. We passed many doorways and I would always peek inside. All were full of busy dragons! In some caves they read, others huddled over a table looking at parchments, and some seemed to be making-

"Weapons?!" I exclaimed! My guide ignored me and carried on walking. At his lack or response, I forced myself to calm down. There was no need to jump to conclusions... I mean, _maybe_ the weapons were for fighting in Narnia. But maybe they weren't. Who knows! I just couldn't get my hopes up.

"We're here," The dragon spoke again. His voice was gruff and he didn't even say goodbye as he walked away. I found myself standing before two gigantic metal doors. How in the name of Aslan did they use metal doors? In all my time in this world, I had only seen wooden doors. A metal door would require tremendous force to open and close-

Oh right, they're dragons. Duh.

Two dragons stood besides the doors, they looked down at me. I felt that small feeling again, but ignored it. "I'm here to see King Ulwin."

They didn't say anything but only nodded. Turning, they pressed their heads against the metal doors and began to push. I watched in awe as the metal doors slowly began to recede into a backwards swing. But it moved at a snail's pace! After a few seconds, I felt awkward, just standing there. Doing nothing. Watching others work. Yes, very awkward! Out of guilt, I moved forward and stepped under one of the dragons. I tried not to look up, knowing that it would only frighten me. If I had thought standing below but at the side of a dragon was terrible... I didn't want to know what it felt like to literally stand below a dragon. Finally, I came to the door and pushed.

The right door swung fully open in a matter of three seconds. The left door, which only had one dragon pushing on it, remained only a few feet open. I laughed nervously, "Well, one door is good enough!" But when the two dragons didn't say anything, I stopped laughing and coughed. "Okay... Awkward."

"Father, meet the human." A very familiar voice said. I didn't like the tone.

Turning around, I opened my mouth to retaliate but shut it. The blood in my face drained slightly as I took in my surroundings. I stood at the end of the largest hall I had ever seen. Along the side stood hundreds of dragons. They all stared at me. As if that weren't enough, I found myself meeting the stare of two red eyes. They belonged to the largest dragon on the whole damn island. King Ulwin was the same jet black as his son and unfortunately, his eyes seemed to possess the same coldness. Instantly, I straightened and tensed. Ulwin and Tervian stood on a platform which several steps led up to. Behind them were piles of jewels and golden treasures.

I nearly laughed. Well, I guess storybooks back home were right! Dragons sure seemed to love treasures!

"Come forward," The King's voice rang out. His tone was rather neutral and devoid of emotion- catching me off guard. I had expected a harsh voice to beckon me. My feet began to move, hesitantly at first.

I could practically hear Edmund's groan._ "Kay... Don't mess this up."_

A small smile came onto my face. Leave it to Edmund to pop into my head at a time like this! Here I was! About to meet the Dragon King (who hadn't existed a few days ago) who could potentially save Narnia and possibly this world. Ulwin needed to like me. I represented all of Narnia and I couldn't afford to screw up this diplomatic meeting.

Hah! Who am I kidding? Peter or Susan should have been there. They were the family diplomats- not me. They purposely kept me away from vital meetings like this... With my emotions and sense of sarcasm, I would have sent Narnia into wars! So what the hell was I doing? Walking into what would be the most important meeting of my life.

_"We are so screwed,"_ Duke slapped his forehead.

But then, a third voice entered my head. _"You can do this love. I know you can."_

My smile turned into a grin when Peter's voice offered words of comfort. Suddenly, I stopped worrying and began to walk proudly. My body was straight and chin raised as I passed by the crowds of dragons. I ignored them and didn't falter when a murmur broke out in the hall. In fact, their murmur seemed to fire up determination inside of me. They could murmur and gossip all they wanted! It didn't matter and I didn't care... Because I would make sure this meeting went well! Ah, how proud Edmund would be!

Finally, I arrived at the bottom of the steps. I bowed respectfully, "Greetings your highness. Thank you for receiving me into your hall."

Whoopee, don't I sound like an official princess?

Oh the joys of sarcasm.

"You are very welcome in my home," King Ulwin nodded his head. His voice was still... empty. I guess he was waiting for form an opinion of me. "We were just speaking about your request for help from the Empire."

"Really? Perfect timing! I am here to answer any questions you may have," I paused. "Has Wilesia explained everything to you?"

"Yes, including your very interesting tale," Ulwin lowered his neck slightly, as if to gain a closer look at me. Now, his voice was full of curiosity. "Tell me, what was the afterlife like? How did it feel?"

Uhhhh... What a strange question. Kind of personal too!

I fidgeted slightly, but answered softly, "Empty. I was in a world of nothing, all alone. Then Aslan spoke to me and a doorway appeared. I walked into it and found myself back in my own world, alive and healthy."

"Fascinating," Ulwin murmured. The dragons' buzzing increased at my words. "Ah, I believe you have met my son?"

I fought the urge to stick out my tongue, "Yes. Hi Terv."

Ulwin glanced at his son in surprise, "The human seems to know you much better than you made out."

Tervian had stood quietly to the side of his father, he hadn't even bothered to look at me when I entered. Instead, he peered out into the crowd, almost bored by the whole situation. All an act of course, but I didn't understand why he was such a... JERK! What was his problem? I hadn't done anything to him! But at the sound of his nickname flowing out of my mouth, Tervian's head snapped to attention. His glare burned through me, but I merely winked. Thick steam floated out of his nostrils...

I switched my attention back to his father, "King Ulwin, what is your response to the situation? We must leave _now _if we are to be of any help in this war."

"Yes..." Ulwin sighed, "This is a complicated situation. Several of the Elders and Tervian here have brought up a good point though. Why should we end the lives of some of our kinsmen to join a war that we aren't part of?"

I gaped.

_Silence._

_"Don't mess this up," Edmund whispered._ _"Take control of your emotions-_"

No! Hell no! How could I keep emotions out of this? This had _everything_ do to with emotions.

I stepped forward, so that I was now half on the steps and level ground below. My hands flew up in the air in frustrations, "How can you all say that? Hah! Wilesia said that you dragons were 'arguably the most mildly tempered' creatures! She said that you weren't the crazed, heartless beasts that everyone perceives you as... But so far, you guys are only proving Wilesia wrong! How can you say that this war has nothing to do with you? Of course it does! Obviously you weren't paying attention to your own freaking ambassador's explanation because if you had, you'd know that this is a war against our entire world. Another world is trying to take over-"

"Watch your tongue you weak little vermin-" Tervian roared.

"Narnia is only the beginning!" I shouted, paying no heed to the prince. "Damn it, why don't you see it? A war in Narnia will spread and eventually will come to Dragon Island. Now let me ask you, would you rather fight a battle in a land far away or here at home? The Shadows are evil and I'm sure they wouldn't mind killing your children or stealing your treasures! Ahhh! Everyone is always telling me I'm way too emotional but I think they're wrong! It seems like I'm the only one _with _emotions in this room! And I'm sorry if I seem rude or anything, but I can't handle this crap anymore! I'm hundreds of miles away from home... Away from the people I love. I can't fight and die at their sides because I'm out here, trying to save them! And they thought I was absolutely insane to befriend a dragon. They all believe that you're heartless monsters! And here I am, full of my bloody emotions, and so far... They're right. You all are monsters."

"Princess Ka-" The dragon King spoke softly. It was too late though. My plea of help had turned into a complete and total emotional breakdown. I had lost my sanity. I couldn't stay strong anymore. A broken soul had finally broken my spirit too.

"Please... Just please prove them wrong." I finished lamely, now crying openly. "You may call me weak, you may call me small, you may call me pathetic. I just don't care anymore. For the first time, I felt a true connection to someone. All my life I've been different from those around me, and having fire only worsened my isolation. But then I met Wilesia and Aslan, I've only known her for a few days, but I know that I would give my life for her. She's right, we're sisters. I felt at peace with her, for someone finally knew the responsibility and sensation of having flames inside your veins..."

"Enough child," Warm scales brushed against cheek. King Ulwin's hot face evaporated the tears. "Emotions run deep in us fire beings, for fire is a passionate thing. It requires a soul of equal vigor and strength. Only one with deep and fierce emotions can handle the magical flame... Yes, you have been different, but that has not been a bad thing. Child, you're special and unique. It is rare to find a soul who can harness the raw power of fire, even rarer to find that a human with such a soul. They call us monsters... They call us angry and merciless... They call us many things because they do not understand. They do not feel like we feel. We feel life on a different level than them. Our tempers are harsh, yes, but our love is also more pure and true. Why do you think our fire reacts to our emotion?"

I sniffed, "I dunno..."

"Because they are connected. They are both unique and magical. My little one, do not be afraid of being different, because it is a gift. Our emotions are a gift because they allow us to live life more fully than others."

I stared down at the floor. His words... They made my head spin but heart leap. It all made so much sense. As a child, I had always been different from the other kids. Always more emotional, the teachers took it as a sign that I was socially inept. But as I grew older, I was still too emotional. I got angry too quickly. I loved too deeply, earning me lots of heartbreak when friendships ended. I was always different...

"I'm sorry," My cheeks were bright red, "I didn't mean to just ramble and say all those awful things."

Maybe I imagined it, but I swore I heard Tervian growl. Could dragons even growl? Or did they just roar?

"You were lost but you've been found. Welcome to our family," Ulwin whispered and then lifted his head and shouted, "We welcome our sister! We welcome her into the Empire!"

And to my utter horror, King Ulwin began to roar. It was a roar that shook me to the core. Panic filled me and I spun around, prepared to run away. What happened? Was he mad now? Was-

Then one by one, each of the hundreds of dragons joined in. Their roars made the whole hall shake dangerously. My legs gave out and the tears kept on falling. I lay on the floor sobbing. What was happening... Why did I feel so... _strange?_ A swirl of emotions whipped through my body. I couldn't even identify what I felt. I felt... I felt everything! Sadness. Joy. Confusion. Anger. Lonely. Curiosity. Happiness. Frustration. Puzzlement. Pain. Love. And...

**Power.**

The adrenaline rush was the most powerful I had ever experienced. Energy crackled in the air around me, my hair flapped wildly, and eyes flew open. The tears were gone. My vision was crystal clear, in fact, not even with Guardian abilities had I ever seen so vividly. Every single speck on the floor was visible. Every glimmer on a dragon scaled shined. Every fiber of my dress was plain as day. I blinked and looked around me. A dozen dragons had encircled my fallen form. Their roars overwhelmed my ears, I felt funny... and strange... but powerful.

Then the strangest thing happened. The dragons around me stopped roaring. The rest didn't, but they did. They all gazed at me with eyes full of emotions. They were just as full of feelings as me! Sparks of anger there! And then twinkles of happiness there!

"W-What's... Stop!" I gasped for breath, "What are you... d-doing to me..."

**Pain**... So much pain... Almost in response, they all opened their mouths. From every direction, a stream of fire shot out and towards me. No! This couldn't be the end! I had a duty to do... I had promises to fill... I couldn't fail Narnia. I couldn't fail Peter.

I screamed.

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**Review Responses:**

**Dares to Dream:** Hmmm, I guess I didn't realize. Maybe I was in a cussing mood. I don't know haha, personally I don't swear in life. But that doesn't mean my characters can't! Heh.

**Phil Archer:** That is one concern that I had... But I actually don't feel too rushed. Now that I don't have classes and homework, I have much more time to write. I can sit and write for a long session which means longer chapters like this one. Thanks for your reviews again, they're a great help. Hopefully this chapter was less awkward... I had to introduce so many new characters and they all have different attitudes. So that was a bit hard to put them together in interaction. Hmmm, really random question but I'm sincerely curious. Are you a boy or a girl? No worries if you'd rather remain completely anonymous.

**LoopyLuna89:** Haha, well thanks for taking the time to review. I'm glad that you've enjoyed the story!

**ChaosHasCome:** Cool penname. Anyways, only a few chapters are left. My estimation is five, but I could end up completely wrong. It all depends on my writing moods for the next few weeks hehe!

**Final Fairy:** Oh! Haha, okay that's awesome! And you speak/read English too.. I'm intimidated! Ummm, sure I don't have a problem with you translating. But it'll be a bit hard to figure this out because from July to mid-August I won't have access to a computer. So if wanted to translate the whole thing and then email me the parts, I could post them up. (I'll give you credit though of course because I know that's going to be a lot of hard work) But I'll only be able to post them up after mid-August. Maybe you want to just wait a few months? Then I'll be adjusted my new university and able to correspond you regularly. Just let me know! = )

**Aandm18:** Holy crap. You read Journey? Wow... So you've really been with me since the beginning. It's crazy because I look back at Quizilla and I realize how young I was both in age and writing. Well, my writing has changed! I'm glad that you've remained a reader. I'm very flattered... HUG!

**The Gentleman's Pirate:** AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I totally forgot about that! Hmmm, poor Eustace. But dude, that would have been a wicked plot twist to have Susan be the dragon! X D You're brilliant... Well, I'm sorry that it wasn't what you were expecting, but I hope you enjoyed this nonetheless!


	50. Chapter 49

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**Chapter 49**

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**So yeah, I'm writing again. I'm addicted.**

_Now enjoy:_

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My screaming stopped when I felt the most unexpected sensation ever. Death was cold. Death was lonely. Death was sad. But what I felt at that moment was the complete and total opposite of death.

Warmth.

Companionship.

Joy.

The fires never actually touched me. The streams of flames united into one great flow which expanded into a giant orb around my body. Any other human would have burnt to a crisp, in fact, anything would have. But instead of feeling pain, instead of dying, the fire embraced me. It encircled my broken and tired body. It enveloped my incomplete soul. I lay on the cool, stone floor, completely isolated from the world around me. All there was me and the wall of flames around me.

I smiled... Never had I felt this... I don't even know how to explain it.

"Come back," I whispered to the flames. They were the most beautiful and vibrant colors. They looked so soft and lovely, but really were harsh and deadly. Deceptive. But, they were perfect. "Please, come back to me."

And just like that, the great walls of fires collapsed. I nearly cried then when all the happiness receded. But then I was struck dumb when the fires didn't disappear, but rather condensed. They rapidly withdrew into one little flame in front of me. It floated in place, only a few feet off the ground. It was so small... It was so pretty... It was...

It was _mine_.

I reached out. My fingers were only inches away. Now centimeters. I made contact. I gasped when the flame seemed to enter my finger. My hand glowed! The light spread to my wrist... arm... chest... legs... head... I was glowing. A violent red-orange filled the room as I sparkled.

_**Bliss. Absolute bliss.**_

And then, in a matter of seconds, it was all gone. The ecstasy of the moment was gone. The basking of power and joy ended. I was brought back to reality. I realized that the dragons had all stopped roaring. Wait, something else was different.

As I stood up, I knew that things had changed. _I had changed._ The heavy pressure on my chest was gone. The constant cloud of isolation disappeared. In fact, I felt _lively_ as I looked at the dragons standing around me. They looked haggard, some were even panting.

"Are you the elders?" I asked quietly. Even my voice sounded different. It was stronger, fuller.

"Yes your highness," One answered. Her voice was tired and heavy. "Welcome to the Empire."

Almost instinctively, my hand went to my chest and I nearly fell again. This time, in shock. My voice hitched, "My flame! M-My flame is back!"

Feeling better than I had in months, I twirled with a silly grin, "You all helped me! You completed my soul didn't you? By giving me back my magic?" I hesitated, "H-How did you do that?" King Ulwin was breathing heavily, and I suddenly felt bad. "Oh dear Aslan, you... you're hurt?"

He chuckled, "No, just a bit tired. That was some fairly deep magic."

"FATHER!" Tervian was at the King's side and lifting up the elder's tired neck with his own. Then he looked at me with rage, "YOU!"

I sighed, "What? I thought I was just welcomed into the Empire and you're-"

"Father! You shouldn't have wasted your energy to help such an insignificant-" Terv had ignored my words.

King Ulwin growled, "Son, that's enough. For too many years our people have hidden away from the rest of this world. For too many centuries have we remained alone and isolated in this land. It's time that we join our brother and sisters in Narnia and protect our world!"

"But-"

"A vote," Ulwin cut off his son. "Do we go to war?"

And one by one, the elders in the circle responded.

"Aye."

"Aye."

"Aye."

"Aye."

"Aye."

"Aye."

Everyone looked at the great king. He pushed away Tervian and smiled down at me. "Aye."

A perfect seven out of seven.

"Thank you," I bowed, humbled. Then I danced around the circle, brushing my fingers against the front legs of each and every elder. Our contact brought a spark inside me. Fire met fire as skin met scale. We connected! I was officially bonded to the dragons. "Thank you!"

"Now!" Ulwin announced to the entire hall, "WE PREPARE FOR WAR!"

The dragons as a whole bowed, I joined them, to their King before filing out of side doorways of the hall. The metal doorways that I had entered through had been closed at some point. The elders, King, and Prince were the only dragons that remained. Apparently, Tervian took that as a sign to finally display his opinion.

"DIE!" He roared at me, before leaping.

Jeez, what an extremist.

"NO!" The King bellowed, but the Prince paid no heed. The black beast was about to land on me when I vanished. Well not really, I had merely run out of the way, but the dragons all gasped.

"Where did she-" With every word that Terv spoke, sparks flew out of his mouth. Steam was heavily exiting his nostrils and his eyes had gone blood red. Huh. I guess that red eyes were a royal dragon trait because none of the other dragons seemed to have them.

"Terv," I waved from where I sat on a treasure chest, safe and sound. A few coins fell from the massive mountain of gold as I stood up, prepared to run again, "I'm over here but can't we just talk-"

"NO!" The enraged dragon leapt again, but I was ready for him. Instead of running away, I pushed off the treasure chest and jumped high. I twirled mid-air over the Prince's head and neck. Gracefully, I landed on his back.

"Seriously, we need to talk," I warned him. Pressure my hands against the base of his neck I warned, "I could snap your neck right now, but we're not enemies. Calm down and let's figure it out. What the hell is your problem?"

"You are! Get off me this instant you ungrateful-" Tervian stiffened beneath me when my hands tightened a bit.

"ENOUGH!" Ulwin yelled. "Princess, remove yourself from my son. And Tervian, the shame you bring to your family! Your mother would have been disgraced!"

Would have been? Huh, I guess she passed away or something. Feeling sorry for Tervian, I slid off his back and retreated to the safety of the bewildered elders. I hid behind the closest dragon's legs. Peeking out from beneath his torso, I smiled nervously.

"Are all humans as fast as you?" One questioned, clearly impressed.

"No, she possesses the Guardian abilities," Another answered for me. "Remember?"

"Ah yes," The first nodded his head. "Ambassador Wilesia did mention that. Tell me Princess, how quick are humans normally?"

"Um," I tapped my chin, "Slower than a running horse, let's just say that. You'll see for yourselves in Narnia-"

"The elders do not go to war," A dark green dragon informed me. "We're needed here on the island to ensure that society continues normally and organize more troops if needed. We remain at the King's side."

"So who is going to lead-"

"My son will lead the dragons," Ulwin explained stiffly. "I expect no trouble from either of you."

Since when did he talk to me like he was my father? Odd. I guess they take the whole Empire = family thing seriously. Whatever. Shrugging, "Yes, sir! Now, when do we leave? We must depart as soon as possible-"

"From the moment Wilesia informed us that there was a possibility of going to war, we have been getting ready. That was this morning and it is nearly nightfall now. You will be able to leave in a few hours."

"What are we waiting on?" I asked, "Because Wilesia didn't need anything in battle. She just flew in and began to fight-"

"Yes, well my great-grandmother didn't have an option now did she?" Ulwin sighed, "Normally we dragons have some armor or weapons in battle-"

I blinked. Wait, _what?!_

"GRANDMOTHER?" I screeched in alarm causing Tervian to roll his eyes. Yeah, he really was no different to a human teenage boy. So I don't know why he's acting so high and mighty!

"Did she not inform you?" Ulwin sounded surprised. "Strange, I suppose she did not find it relevant. Yes, she was the youngest daughter to the dragon ruler of that time, King Ceurn. Since she had an elder brother, she would not inherit the throne and therefore assumed other responsibilities. When Ceurn needed to speak with the White Witch, only a dragon of royal blood could go. Royal dragons represent the entire Empire, we are symbols-"

"Yes, I know. Royalty serve as symbols for their country," I laughed humorlessly. "I came here as a representative of Narnia did I not?"

Ulwin smiled, displaying his shiny and razor sharp teeth. "Ah, of course. Well, she left behind a mate and young son, barely 50 years of age. My grandfather, her son, grew up, mated, and had a daughter, my mother. She mated my father and I came to be. I was the only royal heir alive at the time and assumed the throne."

"Oh... Wow, okay." I did my best to absorb that confusing string of information. Cautiously, I voiced my opinion, "So basically Wilesia is your great-grandmother who technically should have the throne right now? Since she's the older royal?"

Tervian growled. Already accustomed to his hostility, I didn't even blink.

"Correct," Ulwin nodded. He even kept his smile, which informed me that he hadn't taken offense to my words. "When she revealed her identity to me, I offered the throne but she declined. Her wisdom and modesty are legendary! So I was deeply humbled when she expressed that I continue ruling our people."

"Where is she now?" I inquired, realizing I had yet to see her.

At that, Ulwin's face fell slightly. "She is at the tomb of her mate and son."

My face fell too, "Oh. I'm sorry."

"Ridiculous," Tervian muttered. Everyone tuned him out.

"I am sure that you will see her before-" Ulwin began before he was cut off by an annoyingly familiar voice.

"LITTLE ONE! OH MY LITTLE ONE! DARLING!"

I groaned and retreated behind the dragon's leg again. "Someone hide me."

"MY TEENY TINY FRIEND WHERE ARE YOU?" Redwens sang aloud.

"Help me," I squeaked as I turned to face the bouncing dragon.

Literally, he was bouncing.

"LITTLE HUMAN!" Redwens dipped his neck and tossed me into the air with his head. Any normal human would have screamed and fallen to their death, but me? I sighed and landed on his back. "YOU'RE ALIVE! I went down to your cave and found it empty! Oh, little Kay, I was so worried! And then some friends said that you had been escorted to the Royal Hall and so when I came they said-"

"Hi Redwens," I chuckled, patting his scales affectionately.

He gasped, "You! You have fire!"

It was true, every time I patted him a tingling sensation flowed through my fingers. It would take some getting used to... I mean, if I was going to be riding a dragon the entire way to Narnia, I'm sure that would mean a lot of tingling. This bond was strong. Maybe it was this strong because the magic was still fresh? I hoped so, it was a bit distracting! I would try to avoid touching dragons as much as possible.

"Good evening Redwens," Ulwin laughed at our interaction. "I see that you have befriended our human friend. Why am I not surprised?"

"Hello your majesty!" Redwens bowed his head and then greeted the elders with a slight bow. "May I take little Kay here to prepare for war?"

"Yes," Ulwin idly waved his tail around. "Go with them Tervian. Check on the preparations."

Tervian and I both groaned. Then glared at each other. Then turned away at the same time.

"Stop copying me!" Tervian snapped. I snorted.

Redwens giggled.

"Oh dear Aslan," I mumbled. "Save me from these crazy people."

"We're crazy _dragons_ dear," Redwens corrected.

"UGH!"

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"What about this one?" Redwens held up a fluffy, pink dress with layers upon layers of ruffles.

I took one look and began to shout, "My eyes!!! My eyes! They burn at such ugliness!"

Redwens giggled and tossed the gown to the side, picking up another one. "And this one?"

"Too thick," I replied and yawned. We had spent the last half an hour searching for something suitable to wear for the journey. I couldn't wear this evening gown into battle! I needed a tunic! Not a dress! But alas, when dragons plunder, they don't steal men's clothing... They steal lovely, beautiful dresses.

"How about this one? It'll match the armor of the Empire." Redwens held up a plain, black silk dress. It didn't have any sort of design or pattern. Interested, I took it from his nose.

Inspecting it, I nodded, "This will have to do. You dragons obviously don't have any shorts or pants... Oh! I know what I'll do, I'll wear this and make some shorts out of that ugly pink dress to wear underneath. Brilliant."

"I'll show you to the tapestry caves," Redwens automatically lifted me from the ground and dumped me on his back. He'd taken it upon himself to become my official steed. Whatever made him happy. I didn't mind though, Redwens made me laugh and smile. His personality and humor reminded me of Vicern. They both bantered easily with me, providing a perfect balance of silliness and seriousness. Despite their casual demeanor, both were respected soldiers. Strange isn't it? How kind jokers could be lethal killers. Ah yes, it would be very interesting to see my two friends meet.

"Tapestry caves?"

"Yes, our seamstresses work there. I'm sure if you explain what sort of clothing you need, they'll make it for you."

"Uh," I eyed the foul dress. "Are you sure they can make shorts out of this? I mean, no offense, but you guys are huge. I doubt a dragon with massive talons could make such a small piece of-"

"Yes, which is why we are going to the tapestry caves instead of the general seamstress caves. To make a tapestry requires skill with small patterns and details. I am sure that these 'shorts' will be quite easy to make for the ladies."

I looked at Redwens impressed, "Wow. You _are_ smart!"

He giggled, "Well... I also want to say goodbye to the very attractive females that work there. Going to war will mean lots of free licks and-"

"EWW!" I wrinkled my nose. "I'm hoping that licks translates into kisses because otherwise..."

"Ah yes, most other species call such an action a 'kiss'. We dragons lick each others faces and-"

"That's enough information for me," I sniggered. "So, do you have a wife?"

"Not yet little one," He beamed. "But within the next twenty years I shall be looking for a mate. I have just come to age and so the search begins! Tervian is also looking for a mate." He giggled, "Many have betted on who will find a mate first. Of course, I will win such a bet, for I am extremely good looking, intelligent, striking..."

At this, I rolled my eyes and tuned him out. Huh, that's interesting. Tervian, the prince of the kingdom, hadn't mated yet? If dragons were so similar to humans, I bet that he had the ladies just chasing after him. When Peter was still single, women practically threw themselves at him! Edmund too! Actually, when I think about it... This was true for all the men in my life. Duke basically had every cheerleader at his disposal, Vicern could've bedded any elf or human female without trouble, and even Will had his groupies. Bloody hell... I was one lucky girl.

"When do you think Tervian will find us?"

"Dashing, incredible, kind, and reliable." Finished Redwens happily. "And Terv should be coming soon."

Thankfully, Tervian had left our side the instant we left the Royal Hall. He glared at me, released some steam in threat, before marching in the opposite direction. I had only smiled and waved, while Redwens giggled and bid his friend good-bye. Honestly, their friendship was a miracle. Anyways, Tervian had left to make sure the war preparations went smoothly. He wanted to leave as soon as possible so the dragon soldiers could have an hour of rest on an island just off the coast of Narnia. That way, they would enter battle with energy. The three day flight would be tiring and they needed as much strength as possible. Even if his attitude was bitter, I had to respect Tervian. Yes, he was harsh and cruel, but there just _had_ to be a good side to him. I mean, if Redwens was his best friend, Tervian needed to have some kindness. When the fleet was ready to leave, Tervian would retrieve us if we hadn't joined the army outside.

Redwens bounced (literally) all the way to the Tapestry Caves. The fact that none of the dragons even blinked an eye at his silly antics proved that this was his usual way of traveling. I suppose bouncing was a lot more fun than just walking.

"My darlings!" Redwens shouted the second we turned into the caves. "I'm here!"

I watched in total amusement as the dozen of dragons who stood or sat about in the large room looked up with smiles. Yes, I had dozens and dozens of razor sharp teeth exposed in my direction, but I didn't feel the least bit scared. Plus, the dragons stood or sat around piles of wool and dye. They hardly looked dangerous- in fact they reminded me of Mrs. Beaver and other motherly figures.

"Hello Redwens!" The dragon nearest to us cooed. Her voice was light and cheery, despite her large dragon form.

"Greetings," Redwens bowed his head and I swore I saw him wink playfully. Man... My new friend was a player! He was greeted by other dragons (all female) in similar fashions, but I noticed that a few did not go giggly over him. I assumed that they were either mature or already mated.

"So this is the human!" The first female dragon stretched her neck out so that her face was only a foot away from me. Her scales were a deep yellow, almost mustard really. She took an obvious sniff, "Smells pleasant enough. Oh, you have the entire island talking!"

I raised an eyebrow, "Did you just smell me?"

"Yes," She looked at Redwens in confusion, "Do humans not have a sense of smell?"

I pointed to my nose, "Of course we do. We just don't smell people when we meet them. Hey, I've always wanted to know this, what do I smell like? Animals always say I smell nice."

Redwens giggled, "Everyone has a distinct smell. Yours is very pleasant."

"You smell like..." Another dragon paused to think, "Like the forest after a storm."

A few other dragons hummed in agreement.

Frowning, I took a whiff of my dress. "Really? That doesn't sound very flattering."

"Oh but it is! For it is such a fresh, pure scent! The plants are happy, forest pleased, and nature strong..." The dragon beamed, "It is a lovely scent."

"But not nearly as nice as mine," Redwens huffed.

"Of course Redwens," Giggled the dragon.

I cleared my throat, "Uh, before you two get your groove on, may I ask a favor? I need some shorts made for battle because Aslan knows it's impossible to fight in a dress. So do you have any extra needles and string?"

"Explain these shorts to me," A purple dragon got to her feet. She had been resting to the side of the room and as she stood, I watched in amazement as a slightly bump on her stomach was revealed. Oh! A pregnant dragon! Now I've really seen it all. "I am free for the moment and would like to contribute to the war."

"Thanks!" I grinned and slid off Redwens.

My male dragon friend lowered his head and whispered, "What does 'get your groove on' mean?"

I snorted, proving how unladylike I was, and ignored him. Moving towards the purple dragon I began, "Alright shorts are..."

Fifteen minutes later I had two pairs of shorts.

Gaping at them, I let out a low whistle. "Well, that was easy. You are amazing! Thank you!"

The purple dragon laughed, making my chest rise. She was a lovely being, very amiable and sweet. When I had first explained shorts to her, she listened silently and then began to tear apart the vile pink dress. I watched in amazement as she made the theoretical piece of clothing into reality. Twice. "Your highness, my mate works in the archives. We have several books from ancient Archenland which has several pictures and human males are wearing... Hmm, what is the word?"

"Tunics?" I guessed.

Her eyes lit up, "Yes! These 'shorts' sounded very similar. I am pleased that they satisfy you."

Glancing over to the other side of the room, I watched as Redwens continued a conversation with Miss. Mustard. (I had mentally given her a nickname.) Knowing that he wasn't looking, I slid the pink shorts on. They were tight and fit perfectly. Smiling, I hugged Ms. Purple (Yes, I'm _very_ creative. Pft.), "Again, thank you!"

A tingling sensation shot up my arms and into my torso. I shivered, but in pleasure, at the feeling. Pulling away, I cut off our connection and had to strain my neck to look up at her face. "One last favor... Do you have any scissors?"

"Of course," She turned to a pile of supplies. Reaching past some bottles of dyes, she withdrew a humongous pair of scissors. I laughed out load, making her frown in confusion.

"Sorry," I covered my mouth as I turned red. "I've never seen scissors that big before! Wow!"

"Yes, I would imagine everything in your society would be smaller," She chuckled, making her whole body shake. "Now, what would you like me to cut?"

I tugged at the sides of my dress, "Could you cut slits here? Along my legs? They'd make riding a dragon easier and kicking possible during battle."

With two swift cuts, the deed was finished.

I gave her a thumbs up, "Thank you."

Before she could reply, I was lifted into the air and dropped onto the back of Redwens. "Sorry little one, Terv is just down the hall. It's time to go! Bye Ezziere, thank you for your help."

The purple dragon smiled, "It was a pleasure. I wish you both safety and health, take care of one another."

"Ezziere?" I repeated the name, "I'll always remember you my friend! Good luck with the kid and- AHHHHH!"

Redwens leapt into the air and began his normal bouncing. I nearly fell off his back, but managed to grab onto his torso at the last second. "REDWENS!" I shouted in irritation. He only giggled, which made me sigh. It was hard to get mad at a dragon who could giggle so cutely. I vaguely heard the tapestry dragons laugh and wish us luck, but I was too focused on hanging onto Redwens to catch their words. Just as we turned the corner, back into the hallway, Redwens picked up speed. Just as I began to sit up, now comfortable with his momentum, he came to a sudden stop.

Caught off guard, I went flying into the air. Just as I was about to crash into the hard stone floor below, a claw caught me.

"Redwens I swear-" I growled.

The claw immediately dropped me. I landed with a hard 'thud' and I groaned, "Owww."

"_You_ are royalty?" A familiar voice snarled, "Pathetic!"

Looking up, I was surprised to see Prince Tervian standing there. His claw had caught me? How nice... Even if he had dropped me. "Oh, hi there," I said as I waved.

He peered down at me and scoffed. Completely ignoring me, he looked over at his friend, "Redwens, are you ready?"

"Yes, has my father already delivered my armor?"

"It is waiting for you outside."

"Alright, thank you." Redwens took off, this time running without a bounce in his step. Obviously, the time for fun and games was over. I wondered if he kept his sense of humor in battle like Vicern. Or did he turn into soldier mode like Edmund and Peter?

"Have you eaten human?" Tervian's cutting voice made me snap to attention. I had been staring down the hallway, lost in my thoughts about Redwens. Standing up, I rubbed my sore behind and nodded. Tervian seemed pleased with this answer because he didn't retort with some witty insult. Instead, he merely began to run in the same direction as Redwens. It took me a few seconds to realize that he meant for me to follow him. Lifting my dress slightly, I took off after him. Within a second I was at his side and together, we ran through the hallways. Not many dragons were up and about. Many were already gathered outside to say their farewells to their beloved soldiers. So, without a crowd to slow us down, it only took us a minute until we were back outside. It had been my first time being outdoors since arriving on the island. While Tervian didn't pause in his run and joined the mass crowd, I came to a stop.

"Beautiful!" I whispered in awe. The scenery was gorgeous and the moonlight illuminated everything. The grass shone, trees shined, and dragon scales glittered. Looking behind me, I gasped at what I saw. A huge mountain... No! A huge volcano loomed over me. The dragons lived inside a volcano! Dear Aslan... How unique. Well, it made sense I suppose. With their fire magic and souls, a volcano seemed rather fitting for such a species.

"Your expression is hilarious," Redwens' voice was full of mirth.

I turned to look at him and then promptly began to laugh, "Well... You look different."

His entire neck was covered in a dark black metal armor. Metal circlets covered in deadly spikes had been clasped around his ankles and bottom end of his tail. Obviously if he went to kick or hit someone with those limbs, not only would they get the wind knocked out of them, they'd be ripped to shreds. But what made me laugh was the fact that most of his face was hidden behind the same black armor. Only his eyes, horns, and ears were exposed. Also, the armor stopped at his upper lip, allowing for him to open his mouth fully... Or in other words, bite an enemy in half.

His mouth frowned, "Little one, why do you laugh? This armor is meant to frighten enemies!"

"Sorry, I already know you too well," I shrugged. "I know that beneath all that armor is a sweet, bouncing, giggling dragon who flirts outrageously with every female he spies. But don't worry, I'm sure the Shadows will cower."

Redwens glowered, "What about you? You have nothing but two daggers!"

I peered over my shoulder to see the top end of my wand, "And magic of course."

He sighed, "We all have magic Kay. We all have armor- except for you. Come, follow me."

"Well, I've never really needed armor," I said mysteriously. But Redwens wouldn't hear any of it! He forced me to follow him to the armory post to see if the blacksmiths had anything that would suit or fit me. Normally, walking through this sort of chaos would have been nearly impossible... But the strangest thing happened. The dragons cleared a path for Redwens without hesitation. They simply looked up, recognized his face, and stepped out of the way. Out here, in a grassy clearing beneath the great volcano, three hundred dragons stood in masses. They were everywhere! And yet, they provided the honor or a clear path for my friend. It had nothing to do with me, because they always saw him first, moved, and then watched as my tiny form tagged along like a lost pet.

Clearly there was something about him that Redwens wasn't telling me.

I glared at his form, but then began to feel intimidated by the huge, monstrous creatures around me. Even though Redwens didn't scare me, his fellow dragons frightened the hell out of me! So stupid, because I had no reason to be, but I couldn't help it. My muscles tensed defensively as I quickly strode behind my one friend. The dragons all bowed their heads in respect to me, but their intense eyes sent shivers down my spine. They were horrifying to look at. They were all so large... so powerful...

Then I noticed their armor. The dragons all wore the same quantity of armor as Redwens, but the quality was a bit different. While his seemed flawless, not a single scratch on it, their weren't as smooth or new looking. In fact, after a closer look, I noticed that most of their outward armor was rough. Most had spikes throughout their armor, making them extremely formidable. Of course, when making armor in large masses, quality tends to go down slightly. Not every single soldier can possess the strongest and best armor. And yet... Redwens did.

What was he hiding? No... A better question: Who was he truly?

We arrived in a slightly more empty patch of grass. Here a couple of dirty, sooty dragons stood besides a pile of armor and weapons. But they weren't the normal sort of weapons I was accustomed to. Besides their enormous and ridiculous (for a human at least) size and weight, they were more barbaric things. Clubs with spikes, long metal spears, and so on. Obviously these were made for dragons to simple wave around with their tales or mouths. I winced, thinking how painful it must be to killed with such items.

"Redwens," An emerald dragon looked up to greet us. His eyes lit up in curiosity as he spied me behind Redwens. "And your highness? What a pleasure. What may I do for you?"

"Yubin, do you have anything for Kay here? She has nothing but what you see," Redwens informed the blacksmith dragon.

Yubin eyed my sais and nodded in appreciation, "Very fine blades there. Did humans make those blades? If so, I am already a fan of your people."

I smiled, "Thank you. And erm, I'm not sure who made them. Father Christmas gave them to me."

"Ah, the legendary magic man?" Yubin chuckled, his deep laugh sounding like a rumble. "That explains their quality. Magical really. Anyways, let me see what I can find... Hmmm..." He began to murmur things under his breath which I didn't attempt to hear. It was quite handy being able to control the strength of my senses. Redwens and I waited patiently as Yubin and the other blacksmith searched throughout the several piles. They withdrew items now and then but otherwise left everything be.

"How about these?" Yubin lifted some spiked circlets. "They are for the very tip of a dragon's tale and so are the smallest size we have... I am sure that they would fit around your wrists."

"You do not have anything to cover her torso or neck?" Redwens sounded disappointed.

"I'm afraid not my lord," Yubin sighed. "She is much too small."

"Oh little one," Redwens gave me a hard look, "I will have to protect you myself."

I glared at him.

He blinked, "What?"

I crossed my arms angrily.

"What is it?" He nudged me with his warm nose.

"_Lord_?!" I screeched. "Who the hell are you? Best friends with the Prince, specially made armor, given priority when walking by other soldiers... Redwens!"

My friend winced slightly at my outburst and avoided me eyes, "I am... Prince Tervian's cousin. My father, King Ulwin's younger brother, is the General of the Empire's army."

I stared.

"Do not be angry with me," He rubbed my face with his nose again. "I did not want you to judge me by my title. It is rare that I meet someone new and I like being known for my personality, not heritage."

No matter how much I wanted to smack his nose, I couldn't. I was such a softy! His words touched me and before I could stop myself, I hugged his neck. Even though metal separated his scales and my skin, we connected. This time, it had nothing to do with magic... Just friendship. Melting I cried, "Oh you big goofball! You should have told me."

"I am sorry," He said sincerely.

"I'm sorry for getting mad," I hesitated. "I have a problem with my temper sometimes."

He giggled, "That comes with having a fiery soul darling."

I blinked and then beamed, "Oh yeah! Bloody hell, it's such a _relief_ to finally have people who understand! Gosh, until now my parents, friends, and everyone just thought that I was too touchy. Hah! It's just because of my soul!"

"Ah, that reminds me," He withdrew his neck making me have to look up to keep eye contact. "On this journey you must tell me all about your world! I know that you have already told Wilesia but hopefully you have the patience to explain once more. Your world must be very different to mine-"

"It is," A new voice entered the conversation. "You must ask her about these strange tools of fire called 'microwaves'. They heat food with some sort of invisible fire. Very odd."

I turned and ran to embrace Wilesia. She looked... better. Her eyes weren't so dull and body rigid. I don't know how to explain it, but she seemed healthier and more relaxed. I suppose being separated from your home for more than 1400 years, meaning your family is dead, really brought her mood down. As our bodies touched, the familiar tinging overwhelmed me.

Pulling away, I asked her, "How are you feeling?"

"I suppose my great-grandson informed you of my family," She murmured. Then Wilesia proudly lifted her chin, "I am well, thank you. Seeing them and finally being able to say goodbye helped my heart. And how are you Kay? Ready for battle?"

Just as I opened my mouth to speak, Redwens beat me. "No Ambassador, she has no armor! But have no fear, I will protect her during the battle."

Seeing them speak made a lightbulb appear over my head. "Wait!" I chuckled, "Doesn't this mean that you're Redwens' great-great-grandmother too? Just like Tervian?"

"Yes," The two dragons said at exactly the same time.

"Wow," I tapped my chin thoughtfully. "That's weird... Hmmm... Anyways, don't worry about me Redwens. Thank you for your offer of protection, but I don't need your protection. Huh, I hope that doesn't sound too bigheaded."

Redwens giggled, "Your tiny head be big? Never! But still, I will protect you and-"

"She is quite the soldier," Wilesia told her descendant smoothly. "You will need to focus during battle, leave the girl to her duties and pay attention to yours. Now, I came to give you this Kay, I had already considered the possibility of you needing armor."

Man, Wilesia is wise. She pulled her tail into view and dropped something into my hands. "Although our ancestors did not steal men's clothing, they did have the greed to steal some of men's best armor. I suppose they had a fancy for shiny clothing... Satin gowns and metal armor."

Apparently she was right because I was now holding a human helmet. It was black, matching the rest of the dragons' armor, and rather smooth. Sliding it on, I sighed, "It's a bit too large-"

"Bring it here your highness," Yubin offered, "I'll make that helmet fit for a sister of the Empire!"

Chuckling, I strode over and handed the helmet to him. Taking it into his mouth, he crouched over and then dropped it into his front claws. Without warning, he took a deep breathe and quickly exhaled. I jumped back in alarm at the incredible strength and power of the fire that came shooting viciously out of his mouth. I gaped from where I stood.

"_Holy crap._"

"Blacksmiths train from their youth to hold and release deep breaths," Wilesia saidd calmly. Redwens was giggling at my entire reaction, but thankfully his ancestor had the good sense to explain. "This way, they can build up larger amounts of fire, something essential to handling metals."

"Clever," I murmured as I watched Yubin perform his trade. No wonder he was out here with the army and held so much responsibility. The speed in which he did the whole process was astounding. He worked with ease as he hammered (with the largest hammer I have ever seen in my life), bent, heated, and twisted the helmet. He almost seemed to defy physics and time with his work. Only minutes later was I being handed a completely different helmet.

"Does this satisfy you? Try it on," Yubin said politely.

I stared at the helmet, unable to speak. It was black, but darker and smoother. The shape had gone from a medieval round to a sharp gladiator's helmet. Yubin had taken the extra metal and given it several spikes on the backside, matching the spikes of the dragons. Wordlessly, I put it on and found that it fit nicely.

"T-Thank you," I said completely stunned. "Dear Aslan, you're the best blacksmith I've ever met."

"Little one," Redwens chuckled, "Now you even look like a sister of the Empire. All you need is some scales and you'd be just like me."

"No one is can ever be like you, you're one of a kind," Yubin snorted.

"Thank you!" Redwens beamed.

"That wasn't a compliment," Yubin joked. Wilesia laughed heartily, making the ground tremble ever so slightly.

While they continued a playful banter, even with Wilesia joining, I reflected on my appearance. In the great pile of armor, there was a large plate of silver metal, obviously not fully finished because it hadn't been fully shaped yet. But in the moonlight I could see my reflection. And what I saw was magnificent. Redwens was right, I looked part of the Empire. The black helmet matched my black dress and the sais at my waist gleamed wickedly. But apart from obvious appearances, there was something different about me. My eyes were vibrant, skin glowing, and hair shining. I was complete and newly born. A perfect, deadly soldier.

I looked menacing.

"It is time," The voice of Tervian hit my ears. Glancing towards the group of dragons, I saw that Prince Tervian had mingled with the others. "Human, we must leave. There's no time to admire our reflections."

My cheeks burned in embarrassment, "Dude, I have a name."

"And as I have already told you, my name is not Dude."

"Dude, it's just a word."

"Well stop saying it as if it were my name!"

"I'm not! You're just misunderstanding the implications of my sentence!"

"I am not! If you would phrase your sentences differently then it would not-"

"Enough!" Wilesia barked. I shut up immediately and Tervian glowered, but fell silent. Warily, Wilesia looked to Redwens, "Please keep these two from fighting. They will drive the soldiers insane."

"I will do my best," Redwens giggled. "Goodbye Ambassador."

And that's when I learned that dragons had two ways of kissing. Wilesia pressed her nose against Redwens' and Tervian's noses. They in turn licked her cheek. It was a very affectionate moment and I had to keep myself from cooing like a fool. After she had said goodbye to her great-great-grandsons, Wilesia licked my right cheek and whispered, "Take care of them."

"I promise," I whispered back. At this vow I felt a heavy burden on my shoulders, but embraced it all the same. Just like I had known, the fun and games had come to an end. We were in war now, where there were no smiles and laughs. Only pain and death. My humor vanished and was replaced with determination.

I nodded respectfully to Yubin while saying thank you several times again. With our goodbyes finished, I fluidly jumped onto Redwens' back. Silently and grimly, we lifted up into the sky. I watched morosely as one by one, the three hundred brave and selfless dragons of the Empire rose into the skies to follow their leaders to war. A war in another land. A war where some would die.

"Aslan, help us," I whispered softly just as the first of many tears began to fall.

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**Review Responses:**

**The Gentleman's Pirate:** Hello dudette. Haha, just so you know, I've always dreamed of driving around the Geek Squad car. And what's funny is that at my local Best Buy, all the guys who are on the Geek Squad staff are very good looking. They redefine geeks. = )

**Phil Archer:** Actually I'm eager to finish this story. I forgot how nice it is to just sit back and write for hours without the pressure of homework or other scholarly responsibilities. And thank you for pointing out those problems. I've always struggled with tenses and syntax, but hopefully I'll improve. Haha, I actually like the longer chapters as well. To my surprise, they're actually easier to write because there's more of a flow.

**Dares to Dream:** I'm glad that my email's POP helped your mood. Ugh, good luck with your exams. Ahaha, it's a bit funny really. A bit before I received your review, I was talking with my mate and he also was studying for a chemistry exam... Then I read your review and I thought that by some odd miracle you might go to the same school or have the same exam board. You don't happen to live in West England do you? : P haha. Anyways, I hope that you enjoyed Redwens in this chapter. I have lots of fun writing about him. I wish he was real because he'd be my best friend.

**Chitown4183:** AHHH. Don't cry! But I'm glad that I managed to portray the emotions well enough to get some sort of reaction. Yes... Tervian is bitter at times. Sigh, you're right. There are spoiled rich people out there- kids and adults alike. Humans are greedy, it's part of our nature. Grrrrr... = (

**Leahwannabe479:** Just so you know, I lay claim on Redwens. He's mine. Back off, hehe.

**Scarley:** Hi there. Thanks for your review. I hope you liked this chapter since it's completely filled with dragons. Hahaha... I wish Dragon Island was real, that'd be pretty awesome. And yeah! Wilesia being Susan would have been an excellent plot twist, but unfortunately it's been MANY years since I've read the Narnia series so I forgot that humans can be changed into dragons. Darn it, oh well. I hope that Wilesia being her own character satisfied you!

**TheTudorWife:** Hey, thanks! I'm glad that you liked it, hehe. It's fun writing about the dragons. Well, to be honest I have tried writing from Peter's point of view... And it was horrible. I didn't feel comfortable with it and so I've decided to keep to Kay's point of view. But I think you'll enjoy the next chapter a lot if you want to hear from Peter... *wink*


	51. Chapter 50

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**Chapter 50**

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**WOHOO! Chapter 50! Half way to 100. Insane.**

_Now enjoy:_

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"So you mean to tell me that there is no magic, dragons, or speaking animals in your world?" Redwens gasped, "How horrible!"

I laughed, "Well not really. When you grow up without something, you can't possibly miss it. But yes, every time I returned home, I missed all those things! But I suppose my world makes up for such loss with science, technology, and knowledge."

"I would still pick dragons over macnowaves," Redwens sniffed, highly offended.

I patted his back gently, "Me too buddy, me too. And its mic-ro-wave!"

"That's what I said!"

"No it wasn't," I scoffed. "Anyways, let's see, what else can I tell you about?"

"I grow tired of hearing about your world. It is very depressing. Tell me about the High King Peter for Ambassador Wilesia implied he has a relationship with you. Are you mated?"

"Hah! Who would want to mate her!" Tervian cried out. He had been flying at our side for the entire night. Even though he pretended to be paying attention to keeping the army on track, I knew that he listened to my every word. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the several dragons who flew closely behind listened. My world sounded strange and interesting to them. Dragons highly valued knowledge and culture... Of course another world would capture their interest.

I rolled my eyes, "I'm going to ignore that. To answer your question Redwens, yes and no. We humans don't really use the term 'mate' except for animals. Of course, when I say animals, I mean beasts who don't speak and have no sense of civilization. Umm, do you dragons use the term 'courtship'?"

"Of course," Tervian snapped. "We are not like your dumb _animals._"

"Okay," I didn't even blink at his rude tone. "Peter and I have been in courtship for quite some time... We were together before my first return to my world. And thinking that I would never see him again, I began to move on. However, I was brought back to Narnia and so was he. We fell back in love and I continued to love him, even when I went back to my world for a second time. Now that Peter and I are together again, here in Narnia, we decided that enough is enough. We are engaged..." I paused, "Well, we were engaged at least. I do not know where we stand at the moment."

"A complicated answer," Mused my friend. He stiffened beneath me, "Let's simplify it. I officially deem you mated. For you would not enter courtship with another man would you?"

"No," My answer was honest and I had no hesitation to say it.

"Then you are mated," He giggled. "Regardless of the complications. Oh little one, such an epic love story will never be forgotten. I am sure that it is legendary in Narnia."

"Yeah," I grumbled. "It's not exactly flattering though. I'd rather have a painless, unknown love story. Less tears, you know?"

"I want to meet this human male. What sort of soul is he to capture the heart of a fiery woman like yourself? Hehe! He must be special!"

"Special indeed," Tervian actually turned his head and faced me. In the early light of dawn, he looked stunning. As much as I hated to admit it, I thought that Tervian was the most regal dragon. Now that I had seen hundreds of dragons, I could fully appreciate his slender, muscular form. Also, judging by the amount of attention he held from females, I knew that by dragon standards he was handsome.

"What?" I raised an eyebrow at the prince. Why was he smirking at me? Now that I had familiarized myself with dragons, I could tell the difference in expressions. At first it seemed that whenever they exposed their teeth, they were snarling or threatening me... But now, I realized how wrong I was. They smiled, laughed, sneered, and smirked. Prince Tervian was currently smirking, I knew that without a doubt.

"I'm reflecting how special your mate is," He spoke cooly, too casual to be sincere. "If what you say is true, then your own _mate_ killed you did he not? Wilesia retold the tale of Marie the elf and how she made the High King Peter murder you. Yes, how _special_."

Silence.

And when nothing followed, that's when I realized how deeply wounded my soul had been before. Before, I would have exploded. Before, I would have tornadoes of fire shooting at the stupid princeling. But things were different now. Yes, I could still have a temper, but nothing like before. Now, I had my fire inside me, a sense of comfort and completion. And rather than feel intense, pure hatred towards the fool, I felt only pity. Why was he so cruel? Why so bitter? He had a loving friend, caring father, and a country who looked up at him. Why?

"SHAME!" Redwens roared as his cousin, even going so far as to slam his head into Tervian's. He was snarling insanely and I felt fear take hold of my heart. Until now, I had a friendly and cute vision of my friend. Never had I imagined him so... terrifying. "You bring shame upon your mother! Tervian shut up."

I didn't want appear weak. I didn't want to let Tervian win. So I laid down on Redwens, doing my best to ignore the fact that the blanket between his armor and my body did almost nothing to improve my comfort, and turned my head away. I stared at the empty sky, filled with nothing but the rays of the rising sun. How beautiful. How pure. And ironically, here we were, souls of the same flames that made the sun... On our way to war, the opposite thing of beauty and purity. My eyes glistened as I wanted to cry again. But it seemed that a night without sleep had finally caught up with me. Before I could release the tears, I fell asleep.

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_"Hello?" I called out, completely confused. Wait, I'm dreaming! Of course, because I knew that somewhere in the sky I was laying on the back of a dragon. That was reality. Here, I was in the middle of the mist that covered Narnia. The grass beneath me was damp with moisture and the smell of wet nature filled my nose. Except, it wasn't flattering like the dragons had insisted... It smelled like danger. I tensed and called out again, "Hello? Anyone out there?"_

_No answer. But that made no sense, because I could hear so much noise! Voices, coughing, footsteps, growling, sneezing, sighs... The sounds of life!_

_Walking, I held out my right arm trying to feel anything. But the mist was empty and I couldn't see beyond two feet. The mist was thick and I felt frightened by this. I didn't like being blind. I didn't like the wet, dark, and cool touch of the mist. But thankfully, the flame inside of me burned without fail. My body remained warm._

_Reaching behind me, I realized that I didn't have my wand with me. Looking down, I realized that I still wore the black satin gown. What a strange dream. Keeping my clothes but disregarding my weapons?_

_Well, in a dream anything is possible. Flipping over my arms so that my palm faced up, I grinned when a flame appeared above my palm. But to my shock, the mist reacted. It retracted away from the flame!_

_"That's interesting," I mused aloud. Curious, I increased the strength of the flame. It grew and as it did, the mist retreated farther away. Wait, that's not right! It's not running away... My flame is killing it. Making the flame even larger, so that it was the size of my head, I smiled when I saw the mist burn away._

_Then my smile vanished. "T-This is real!" I gasped, "This is a vision isn't it?"_

_How stupid. I'm asking a question when no one but me can hear it. Shutting my mouth closed, I realized that I was in Narnia again. But this vision was different- normally I had no effect on the environment. I was nothing but a spirit wandering the world in my vision. People could feel a faint warmth when I passed through them, but nothing else... And yet, the mist felt my flame. I suppose what while my physical self was left on Redwens' back, my soul (which was magic itself) was released._

_Excitedly, I ran towards the sounds. They were louder as I continued to sprint through the mist. With every step I took, more mist burned away. Glancing over my shoulder, I was pleased to find that I had left what appeared to be a hallway in the mist. Empty, clean air filled the path which I passed through. The mist didn't swarm in and reclaim the air... Perhaps my fire burned the mist permanently in the air it touched._

_Oh I hope so! Because if the dragons' fire could do this, then we could get rid of the mist! We could have a fair battle!_

_Just as I began to grin, I came upon the camp. It was the Narnian camp. Red tents were stationed closely to one another, connected by rope. And from the little I could see, it was clear the the rope was a means of travel. Narnians held their arms out so that their fingers could brush the chord. The rope kept them from getting lost!_

_I whimpered, it was hard to see the brave and great soldiers clinging to a thin rope so desperately. This mist must have halted everything for the Narnians. Incoming Narnians who wanted to join the fight wouldn't be able to find the camp! Communication was most likely nearly impossible. And if the Shadows located the camp, they could swoop in and slaughter everyone... A surprise attack wouldn't be hard to attain when the Narnians were blind._

_Maybe I can help._

_Eagerly, I ran towards a tent, ignoring the shouts of alarm as I passed right through two fauns and a fox. Cautiously, I held my fire to the bottom of the tent's material. The flame passed right through the tent, totally harmless. Good. Only the mist felt the fire._

_"Look at that!" A centaur pointed at the hallway of empty air in the middle of the mist. "The mist has created a path!"_

_"What does it mean?" A cougar asked, "Is it a trap?"_

_"Someone alarm the Kings!" A faun shouted._

_"I'll alarm Queen Lucy and Prince Duke," declared a frightened deer. He sprinted off, never drifting more than a foot away from the rope of course._

_"Okay," I mumbled, "Here goes nothing."_

_Closing my eyes, I focused on the flame. "GROW!" I commanded. A burst of energy flew through me and when I heard dozens of gasps, I opened my eyes. The small flame was gone but I knew why. It had burst and spread out, burning the mist for one hundred feet around me._

_Now, dozens of Narnians were visible to one another. More tents were clear to the eye, and the Narnians all gaped at one another. Silence..._

_Then they began to cheer._

_"The mist!" Cried a mouse, "The mist is vanishing!"_

_"A miracle!" A bear clapped loudly._

_But a cheetah sniffed the air, "The mist doesn't smell weaker. No... It's not vanishing, look there! See, it still remains around us."_

_"I'll go find the Kings," A leopard sniffed the air. "There is something... strange happening here. They will know the answer."_

_The Narnians all murmured in agreement. All the while, I was frowning. Only one hundred feet? I had thought my fire had gotten stronger! Maybe... Hmmm... Well, when I unleashed a large amount of fire, it was always because of emotions. Anger mostly. Like the time where I had exploded in the forest, on the way to Aslan's Howe with the previous Narnian army._

_Maybe I needed to get angry._

_I didn't get the chance to try because the leopard took off in a sprint. I raced after him, rather proud that I could keep up with such a graceful creature. Once I would lose my Guardian powers, I knew I would miss being able to run like this. Once we reached the end of the cleared air, the leopard ran alongside the rope like I had seen the deer do._

_"Look at the mist behind him!" The cheetah exclaimed, "The mist is disappearing!"_

_That made the leopard stop and me too. We both turned around and sure enough, a human sized gap of air was made. I began to laugh, knowing that no one could hear me. I was the flame! My body was flowing with magic! I was a walking torch!_

_"Strange," The cat murmured, before shaking his head in disbelief, "So strange."_

_Then he was running again, paying no mind to the shouts of shock and happiness we left behind. The run only took about a minute before he stopped. We arrived a large tent and diverged away from the rope. It continued on, making me believe that there were more tents and soldiers in that direction. But apparently, this was the royal tent._

_"Your highnesses?" The leopard called out tentatively. Oh yes, communication was a failure in this mist. How could the army organize when they couldn't even see who was around them? I groaned, knowing how frustrated Peter and Edmund must be. And Vicern! Oh heavens, he must be furious._

_"Yes?" A man's voice called out from the mist. I gasped._

_"EDMUND!" I shouted in vain. "Ed! Where are you?"_

_The leopard began sniffing, trying to find out where the King was. But I had a better plan. Focusing again, I created a second flame. This time, I kept my eyes open, "GROW!" I ordered._

_Energy shot out again and I watched in fascination as the flame burst. A wave of fire went hurling in every direction for fifty feet before evaporating. In that fifty feet, the mist sizzled away. In that fifty feet, three men were exposed._

_Peter, Ed, and Vicern were huddled over a table. On it was a lantern which they had been using to see many maps and compasses. Behind them was the bottom of several grassy hills. Poor fellows, in the middle of the day they needed to use a lantern! Damn this mist!_

_"PETER!" I yelled, in relief. Running towards him, I passed right through the body of Vicern who yelped in surprise. Peter was okay. He was still alive. And I quickly scanned the three men. None had any wounds or signs of exhaustion and so I assumed that no battle had ensued... Yet._

_"What the bloody hell?!" Edmund jumped when he saw the leopard. His hand flew to his waist._

_Peter had already withdrawn his sword, "What evil is this?"_

_But it was Vicern's reaction that caught my attention. He was smiling- no. That's the understatement of the year. He was absolutely radiant. A huge grin graced his face as he glowed. He was beautiful... It had been so long since I had seen him happy. His total and devastating depression had ruined my previous images of him. Not even the horrid scar on his face (where a Marie-controlled Susan had cut him at the final confrontation at Cair Paravel) could ruin his beauty now though._

_"Did you feel that?" His eyes scanned the area. At one point, they even landed on my body, but quickly continued on. "It's her."_

_I ran at him with so much hope in me._

_Of course, I passed right through him, like a ghost. But that's exactly what I wanted. And I also wanted his reaction... Which I received._

_"IT'S KAY!" Vicern screamed. He was spinning around, clearly looking for me. "Didn't you sense it? The magic? Her magic?"_

_"What?" Peter snapped. "What does this have to do with Kay?"_

_Ouch, what did that one mean? Was he angry with me or Vicern?_

"Little one..."

_Panic filled my chest. No! That was Redwens voice! No! This vision couldn't be ending. I couldn't return to reality- not just yet. I had to help the Narnians. They needed to be able to gather their strength. As much as I wanted to run through Peter and let him know I was here, I didn't have the time._

_But at least I could leave him with a gift._

_"Anger," I muttered to myself. "Focus on anger Kay."_

_I hastily searched for a source of the emotion. What could get me so angry that I would release enough energy to clear the Narnian camp? I need to clear at least a mile. Just a mile. Please._

"Little one... Wake up..."

_"No! Not yet!" I pleaded. Come on, what could get me so furious?_

"Typical, leave it to the human to pass out."

_Aha! That was Tervian._

_Tervian._

_The name made me angry. How dare he! Even when I wasn't conscious he was insulting me! HOW DARE HE! Ah, there's my notorious temper. What had he been saying before? Oh yes... How special it was for Peter to murder me._

_The air around me crackled. Vicern stumbled backwards in alarm. Peter and Edmund immediately bolted forward and pulled their brother-in-law back from the exploding air._

_"What in the world...?" Edmund gaped._

_"Fire!" Peter shouted in recognition, "They're sparks of fire!"_

_But after that, I heard nothing more. All I could hear was Tervian's voice._

"Your own mate killed you did he not?"

_"Shut up," I whispered._

"...How she made the High King Peter murder you."

_"Shut up!" I snapped._

"Yes, how _special_."

_"SHUT UP!" I hollered. The effect was immediate. It was overwhelming, it was dizzying, it was intoxicating. An insane amount of energy erupted from my core. From my heart. An enormous ball of fire encircled my body as I screamed in fury and as soon as I let go- let go of my offense, anger, and pain- the ball exploded. I never saw how much mist I destroyed, but it didn't matter. I knew it was a help, no matter what size._

"Little one..."

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"Wake up," Redwens soothed. Something warmed pressed against my neck. I leaned my head against it and made a small noise of content. A giggle filled my ear. As well as some steam. That certainly woke me up!

"AH!" I jumped slightly and immediately regretted it. I was exhausted. My head felt like it had been slammed against a brick wall. "Ughhhhhhh..."

"Do all humans sleep so deeply?" Redwens asked gently. Opening my eyes, I found that we were still flying. The sun was high in the sky and I estimated the time to be around noon.

"I just..." It took some effort to speak. "H-Had a vision."

Redwens ears twitched at this, "Truly? Do tell! Hehe!"

"G-Give me a minute," I pleaded. I didn't have any energy. Not after that massive release in the Narnian camp. Thankfully, Redwens left me be, but I could tell that he was terribly curious. As we flew, he kept twisting his neck to look back at me. Finally, fifteen minutes later, I felt well enough to relay the story. Watching Redwens' eyes grow larger and larger behind that frightening helmet made me smile weakly. When I had finally finished, I let my head fall back down onto his back. "L-Let me just sleep for a bit..." I murmured. And heavens, did I sleep! When I woke up, the sun had vanished. A lovely moon had taken its place in the heavens above us. I had slept the entire day away.

Sitting up, I yawned and felt fully refreshed. The cool air of the night felt wonderful on my face and skin. Funny isn't it? On my way to the Empire I had nearly frozen.. Now, on my return trip, I felt perfectly comfortable.

"Thank Aslan for my magic," I sighed happily.

"Good evening!" Redwens piped up, hearing my voice. "You were certainly tired."

I nodded, "I think that visions drains me mentally and magically. It's a lot of energy drained."

"How are you feeling?" He asked in a concerned voice. Ah, how I loved Redwens.

"Much better," I assured him with a bright smile. "How are you faring? You're not too tired are you? Am I heavy?"

Redwens burst into a fit of giggles, "I am strong my little one! And you are lighter than my helmet, please don't feel like a burden."

I raised my eyebrow, "Your helmet is heavier than me?"

"Yes," An annoying voice cut in. "The Empire uses stronger metals than the humans. Our blacksmiths also have the fire and materials of a volcano. Our armor is much better than yours."

Agitated, I forced myself to look over to my right. There, flying several feet away from Redwens, was Prince Tervian. He looked so agile in the air but his aura of arrogance ruined any admiration I held for him. I noticed, much to my irritation, that he stared ahead, clearly not giving us attention. How rude! "Are you so socially inept that you must listen to other people's conversations?" I snapped.

Tervian still didn't grace me with his eye contact, "Are you so weak that a silly dream puts you to sleep for an entire day?"

"Enough!" Redwens interfered. His tone caught me off guard because there wasn't a trace of his usual friendliness or light humor. Instead, he sounded... angry?

Not wanting to deal with the spoiled prince anymore, I sighed and began to count the stars. And that's how the first day of traveling went. The second mainly consisted of silence. Redwens would attempt to start conversation, but unfortunately he included both Tervian and I. Obviously, those attempts failed. The only time I heard Tervian speak was when he made a strange noise. He let out a odd hum which would spread like a wave. Redwens would hum, followed by the dragons behind us, and then the dragons behind them. Under a minute, the entire fleet was humming. Then without warning, to me at least, we would dive and after a few more miles land on island to rest. On the third and final day of our journey, I asked Redwens about it.

"We have specific sounds for certain movements and formations," He answered proudly. Then promptly bit into a large piece of meat. No matter what species- males ate like pigs.

Grimacing, I carefully chewed into my own meal. Pork, yummy. After swallowing I ventured, "C-Could you teach me?"

"Teaf cho wfat?" Redwens continued to tear the meat apart. Violently.

"Eww," I slapped the side of his helmet. "Stop eating like an animal."

He swallowed and then grinned, reminding me of his razor sharp gleaming teeth. "But little one, I _am_ an animal."

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever. Look, could you teach me the signals? If I'm going to be on your back during battle, I need to know when you're about to dive or flip."

Redwens beamed, "Ah! Clever my darling! Yes, I will teach you!"

And so he did. It was fairly simple really, because he only taught me the basic sounds. A low hum meant diving, a high hum meant going up, quick two note and hum meant flipping. There were several others, such as tail swinging, to warn other dragons so they wouldn't get hit, but I didn't really need to know those.

Finished with our meals, I stood up, "Let's practice!"

My dragon friend eyed me warily, "What do you mean?"

"Flipping," I laughed, feeling quite brave. I think being close to Narnia again was lifting my spirits. Plus, having my fire and soul back did absolute wonders for my mood! I felt so vibrantly alive! "Come on, you get to show off. You're _so_ skilled you can even complete formations with a human burden."

A spark of interest lit in his eyes, "Hmmmm..."

I winked, "Didn't you say that nearly a quarter of the Empire army is female? I'm sure some of the ladies will be watching!"

At that, Redwens hastily got to his feet. The sand sprayed everywhere, but I managed to cover my face before it could cause damage. But my hair... Eww. Before I could drop my hands, I felt myself being thrown into the air by his head. He had done this so many times that I didn't even feel a drop of anxiety or surprise.

Just as I landed on his back, he hummed a high key. We were going up. And just as he had signaled, he shot into the sky. Dragons around us lifted their heads from their meat to watch us, all curious. What was the Captain Redwens (Not only was he a Lord, but also Captain) and the human princess doing?

But we didn't pay any attention, in fact I forgot that just below us was an island heavily crowded with hundreds of dragons. Some dragons were actually floating in the water around the land, since there wasn't enough room, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves. I forgot about them all as I felt the sunlight soaking into my skin and hair. The flame inside of me grew as adrenaline and joy pumped through me.

Redwens hummed two fast beats.

We were going to flip.

Immediately, I tightened my arms on his torso and braced myself. One second later, he turned deeply to the right. I managed to keep my eyes open and I blinked in shock as I realized we were still flying... Just upside down. Redwens started to laugh, making his body shake dangerously.

"Stop laughing!" I shrieked, now a bit worried. "I can't h-hold on!"

"Let go," He said to my surprise.

"WHAT!?"

"Let go," He repeated. There was a caring undertone to his voice- which confused me. If he cared for me, then why did he want me to plunge hundreds of feet into the deadly waters below? He _knew_ about my fear of the ocean!

His next words were soft, "Trust me."

I trusted him. There was no doubt about that, but _why?_ Why was he doing this? If I was going into battle with him, I had to trust him. What if he needed to drop me in the middle of battle? I would have to listen to him. He'd have a reason. He'd have a purpose for this insanity.

I let go.

As I tumbled through the air, I was shocked at my emotions. Yes, I was scared, but I wasn't terrified. In fact, I felt more... intoxicated than frightened. The air felt wonderful, the sunlight embraced me in comfort, and I knew Redwens wouldn't let me come to any harm. I closed my eyes and spread out my arms and legs. I felt invincible. I felt strong. I felt whole.

And then I heard the whistle. It was a short, little upbeat whistle. Snapping my eyes open, I had to grin when I saw Redwens flying like a bullet towards me. And with perfect timing, I landed on his back. Safe and sound.

"WOOO!" I threw a fist into the air, "That was fantastic. What do you call that move?"

Redwens glanced over at me and gave me an innocent smile, "There isn't a name, I just made it up."

My joy came crashing to an end. Shock and anger filled me, "WHAT?!"

"Don't be angry little one," Redwens hummed in a higher note. "I wouldn't have let you fall-"

"I know," I grumbled. "But you could have at least warned me this was your first attempt."

"What shall we call the move?" He said pleasantly. "And does the whistle work for the signal?"

"Let's call it the Bullet," I replied, unable to keep a smile from creeping onto my face. "And yeah, the whistle is perfect. But we'll whistle before the drop and before the pickup. That sound good?"

"Yes!" He giggled, and then paused. "What does 'bullet' mean?"

I sighed, "Okay. There is a weapon in my world called a gun and..."

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"LAND!" The wide grin on my face faded, "And mist."

"Your orders Terv?" Redwens questioned the prince. The coast of Narnia was slowly becoming larger and larger. As we approached, my heart beat faster and faster.

Tervian stared into the impossibly thick mist in thought, and to my puzzlement, glanced at me for a second, before looking back to mist. After a few moments, he spoke in a smooth yet fierce voice, "We fly over and-"

"Why?" I gave the prince a look of disbelief, "If we go straight through it will burn away!"

"We do not know for sure if-"

"What? Don't believe me?" I snapped, "This is why Wilesia wanted to bring the Empire here. Only our magic can get rid of the mist! In my vision-"

"Perhaps it was only a dream!" He bit back. "Perhaps the mist is now poisonous! I will not risk-"

"It wasn't a dream!" I said hotly, feeling my face burn. "How dare you-"

"I'll do it," Redwens suddenly spoke up. "I trust her Tervian. If she says we can burn the mist, then it must be true. Let me fly through it and see."

"I won't let you die-" Tervian gave his cousin a hard look. Whoa, I suppose the prince does have a soft side.

"Do I have your permission or not?" Redwens broke in calmly. The giggling had vanished. The toothy (and pointy) grin had disappeared. With the appearance of the Narnian coast came the grave mood of war. Even I felt my spirits fall.

Prince Tervian sent me a death glare, as if _I_ had made Redwens volunteer. In a voice full of hate he spat, "Fine. Go, I don't care."

"You will see," Redwens spoke compassionately. Watching their exchange was like watching fire and ice, moon and sun, and so on. They were so incredibly different and yet maintained an unbreakable bond of friendship and love. Fascinating.

Redwens gave a low hum and we descended.

"Will it hurt?" He asked quietly.

"No..." I answered slowly, "But then again I wasn't in my actual body during my vision. I d-don't think it will. The Narnians walked around in it."

"Hold on little one," Redwens warned as we entered the mist.

Nothing.

We just flew on. No pain or poison. The only thing that happened was the faint sound of sizzling. Both Redwens and I turned around and let out a cheer as we left behind clean air- free of mist.

"Darling!" Redwens shouted in glee, "You were right!"

I let out a deep breath, "Yes, thank Aslan."

We turned around and flew just above our first path of air, so that we didn't lose our way. Sure enough, we streamed out of the wall of mist and began to climb up through the air towards the awaiting dragons. When they saw us, some of the dragons let our roars of triumph.

"Let us burn this evil away!" Redwens cried out with passion as we came to his cousin's side again. "Let us destroy these Shadows! LONG LIVE THE EMPIRE!"

"LONG LIVE THE EMPIRE!" The hundreds of dragons chorused together. Even Tervian joined in, though he merely said the words, instead of roaring.

"What's the plan exactly?" I inquired, realizing I had no idea where we were going. "Fly through in random directions and hope to find the Shadows?"

"We were hoping to find the Narnian camp first," Snorted Tervian. "In your vision, did you notice anything familiar? Any hills? Rivers?"

"Uhh," I searched my brain. "Wait! There were some hills!"

My eyes went wide.

"Northeast," I declared. "If I'm right... They're at," I let out an uneasy laugh, "They're at the original camp of Narnia. Just before we fought the White Witch."

"How fitting," Redwens mused. "Where you once fought to save Narnia, we go to."

"Northeast it is," Tervian announced. He took off and the rest of us followed loyally. I watched the dragons around me and sure enough, as we entered the mist, they tensed in apprehension. After several minutes of flying, they relaxed. Our formation was brilliant. Each dragon spread out and flew at the side of his or her neighbor, rather than right behind. That way, we hit more mist and cleared a larger area. The true genius of this was the fact that we all flew at different levels. The entire air was being cleared, not just at one elevation.

"How long is this flight?" Tervian asked me.

"A rough estimate would be less than an hour," I answered.

"Ah, so it is close," He seemed pleased with this. "You believed the army to be north correct? Past the Owlwood?"

"Yes," I nodded. "Does the Empire have maps of Narnia?"

The arrogant prince laughed at me, "Of course. It would be foolish to wage war on a country you are lost in. Naturally we have geographical knowledge of our enemy."

"You probably stole the maps anyways," I muttered. The fact that Tervian ignored my comment implied I was right.

"Stay alert for any noises," Redwens informed me. His voice was low and I missed his giggles. "And listen for my signals."

So for the rest of the flight, no one spoke. In fact, no one even signaled. Each dragon flew at a constant speed and height, obviously well disciplined and practiced. To my surprise, it was only half an hour later when we first heard the camp. And the sounds of a faun's hooves and hammering of a blacksmith made me want to jump and down in excitement.

"Let me walk in first," I suddenly realized. "Otherwise they'll think that we're attacking them if we just burst out of the mist!"

"She's right," Redwens added. We spoke quietly, not wanting any of the Narnian animals to hear us.

"Go and whistle when we are to join," Tervian murmured. He was glaring at me.

I gave him a mock salute, "Will do honey."

Before the prince could reply, Redwens hummed deeply for a second and then we dived. Soon, I was jumping off his back and striding towards the Narnian camp. I should have been coming up with a decent and short explanation for the current situation... But I could only think of thing, well person: Peter.

What would he say? Would he be angry? Would he be thankful? Relieved? And would he notice anything different with me? Oh heavens... I still loved him like no other but I couldn't help but be hurt by his lack of trust. He hadn't believed me about Wilesia and he claimed to be in love with me. Redwens had believed me about the vision and mist and we had just met 4 days ago! It just made me... doubt? Did I really doubt Peter's love? Ah, I hate this! I hate all these emotions! How did the dragons deal with such souls?

"HALT!" A masculine voice shouted in my direction. Of course the animals would have heard me. I don't know if they could smell me though, this mist seemed to mess with my nose and I assumed theirs as well.

"Peace!" I called out and continued to walk. "It's me, Kay, Guardian of Narnia."

A silence followed and to my amusement, I heard whispers.

"C-Could it be?"

"Let's wait and see!"

"No, what if its more magic from the Shadows?"

"Weapons at the ready soldiers!"

And that's when I came so close that I could make out their shadows. There were so many of them gathered there! I could see spears and swords held out. I could hear arrows being loaded and aimed.

"Hold on a second," I said calmly. Then closed my eyes and focused. The release of the energy was much less difficult, now that I had my body and practiced in my vision. When I opened my eyes, I found myself facing a crowd of two dozen soldiers. "Whoa, talk about variety."

I observed those closest to me. Three Telmarine soldiers held swords to the right of a snarling fox who was at the feet of a handsome elf. Behind them were two fauns who stood besides another five gorgeous elves. I beamed to see all three kingdoms working together!

"FREEZE!" A centaur from the back demanded. "Drop your weapons stranger."

Oh yeah. I had a helmet on.

Hastily, I removed my helmet. Some of the soldiers gasped. With a bright smile I waved, "Hi. Could you please bring Peter, Edmund, Vicern, or Caspian? I need one of the Kings here. Thanks."

It took them several moments to overcome their shock and surprise. Then, an elf shook his head slowly and lowered his bow. "I will bring King Edmund and Caspian."

"And I will find High King Peter," A faun volunteered before running off with the elf.

"And I will find King Vicern," A Telmarine man informed me with a polite bow.

"No need to find King Vicern," A very familiar voice joined us. "I'm already here."

Spinning around, I saw Vicern fully emerge from the mist to my right. My eyes went wide, "Y-You look... better."

It was true. A healthy color had returned to his face, though it was still rather gaunt and skinny. But what really caught my attention was the fact that he walked with energy and his eyes actually held emotion. Right now, they were filled with happiness. Not even his horrid scar from Susan's blade could ruin my admiration.

Running towards him, I threw my arms around my dear friend. "Thank Aslan you're alive again. I honestly didn't know what to do with you."

His eyes slid around my torso, "I now know how you felt."

My body shivered at that. I didn't want to think about the horrible times I went through after Peter broke my heart. If it hadn't been for Edmund and his impossibly good heart, I wouldn't be alive right now.

"Where have you been?" Vi pulled away. "What are you wearing? Dear Aslan! Where did you get such a helmet?"

"I'll explain when the others get here," I promised him. With my free hand (my other held onto the helmet still) I reached out and gave his fingers a squeeze. "I'm glad you're better Vi. I've missed you."

"I would say that's it been over a week since I last saw you," Vi gave me a weak smile. It was an enormous relief to see him smiling again. Vicern was meant to joke and live a life full of laughs... To have seen him so empty and boring had been a crime. "But you were here two days ago weren't you? The mist vanishing... It was you."

He didn't phrase the last part as a question, more like a statement.

I nodded, "It was me."

"Your magic is back!" Vicern gaped at me. "How?!"

"Some friends of mine helped me out," I shrugged.

"Friends? Who are you-"

"KAY!" The voice of Edmund made my face light up. Looking away from Vicern, I prepared myself for a tackle. Sure enough, an attractive young man threw himself at me. His lean and muscular form didn't stand a chance though. Easily, I embraced him but kept us from falling to the ground.

"Oof!" He groaned, "That was like running into a rock."

"I love my strength," I said cheekily and kissed his cheek. "Ed! You're going to be so proud of me. I acted like a proper diplomat for Narnia and-"

"It is good to see you my friend," A heavily accented voice said from behind Edmund. Bending my back slightly, I peeked behind Ed's arms and saw a smiling Caspian. I noticed that Ed hadn't removed his arms from me so I could only wave to the Telmarine King.

"Hello Caspian! You look tired."

"Yes, we've just returned from a scouting mission," Edmund told me. "We have no idea when the Shadows will attack. They could have slaughtered us at any given moment, but they've been waiting for something."

"OH MY GOD! WHERE IS SHE?!"

I winced. Leave it to Duke to be heard before seen. But still, I couldn't help but start grinning like a fool when he came into view. Thankfully, Edmund seemed to realize I needed to hug my friend, because he let me go.

"DUDE!" Duke threw up his arms and charged at me. "Where the hell have you been Kayla? I've been worried sick! Whoa, I sound like your mother."

"You do," I nuzzled my face into his warm chest as he twirled me in the air.

Setting me back down Duke joked, "Man, I am one hot momma."

"Stop raping her," Alyssa's soft voice reached my ears. Wherever there was Alyssa...

There was Will. He sniggered, "She just got back."

"Alyssa! Will!" I greeted, glad to see them well and content. They looked healthy and I swear... Alyssa even had some arm muscle going on there. No doubt they had been spent the last week training. My two modern companions made Duke's hug into a group event.

And then Alyssa began her rant.

"ARE YOU INSANE!? How could you have just taken off like that? One moment you're having some freaky stare down with a dragon and the next you're marching off into the wilderness alone! Even I noticed you didn't have any supplies. Idiot! Why didn't you at least take your backpack? Actually, why didn't you ask any of us to go with you? I would've gone with you! But noooooo! You had to leave me behind. Do you know how frustrating it is to be the only human woman? I've been surrounded by... by... _MEN_!"

"Hey!"

We all looked to find a haughty Lucy. "I'm not a man. And what do you mean you're the only woman?"

Alyssa blinked, "Oh shoot. I keep forgetting you're older than me. Sorry Lu."

Lu? Huh, I suppose the two have bonded well if they're using nicknames. Then again, Alyssa always does well with people. She's so much more social than I am.

"Where's Peter?" I asked, realizing that he was the last to join the group. I actually hadn't expected to see everyone so soon. But apparently word of my arrival had spread like lightning around the camp. Then I remembered something else. "CRAP!"

"What?" Lucy was hugging me when I let out my shout. Jumping back in alarm, she tensed. "What's the matter?"

"My friends..." I laughed nervously, "In all my excitement I forgot that they're waiting for me."

And that's when I heard a giggle. Only my ears heard it, not even the animals around me could pick up the sound. Straining my ears, I could hear a quiet conversation.

"Fool!" Tervian hissed, "Forget us? How could she forget?"

"Hush," Redwens giggled again. "Could you not hear her laughter? She's very happy to see her friends again."

"Yes, well I dislike sitting here like a duck."

Giggling followed.

"Kayla?" A hand waved in front of my face, "Hello?"

I redirected my attention to the people close by. "Huh? Sorry, I thought I heard an arrogant prince complaining like a brat."

The giggling got louder, but not enough to cover the growl of a certain dragon prince...

Everyone stared at me.

"She's gone mental," Ed said uneasily.

I waved his comment off, "Inside joke. Anyways, where's Peter? I have to so much to explain and-"

"Sorry," The most familiar voice of all interrupted my sentence. It sent chills up my spine and butterflies free in my stomach. It made my heart tense in apprehension and mind swirl in memories. "I was out on the East border of the camp when I was told that Kay arrived... Oh. You're all here."

Kay.

He had called me Kay, not Makayla. A good sign because whenever he was upset with me, he used my full name.

Mustering up my bravery, I forced myself to pull away from Lucy. Slowly, I turned around to face the man I loved.

And there he stood, in all his glory and honor. Of course, I had seen him just two days ago, but to him it had been a week since we'd been face to face. I carefully took in his expression. He was as handsome and regal as ever. The warm, healthy glow of life filled his face and to my astonishment, he looked as if was about to cry. The unmistakable glaze of tears covered his beautiful eyes. It was then that I realized that my own eyes burned with salty water.

"Peter..." I whispered. We stared at one another, unsure of what to do. Did he want me to stay put? Did he want to hug? Would he even care?

"Thank Aslan," Peter walked quickly over and without warning, yanked me into his arms. He rested his head on my shoulder and whispered, "You're back. You're okay."

I felt a tear fall and in a hoarse voice I replied, "Y-Yes. I'm back."

Peter lifted his head and our noses touched. In that moment, there was only him. My eyes only saw him, my ears only heard him, my body only felt him. Peter was my everything. "I-" My lips were stopped though by the loveliest kiss he had ever shared with me.

It seemed like ages later when he withdrew his lips from mine. Leaning his forehead against mine he whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry... I love you."

"I love you too," I murmured. Everything was so perfect... So romantic...

And then their voices ruined the moment.

"She's forgotten us again!" Prince Tervian snapped to his cousin.

"Leave my darling alone," Redwens retorted. "It sounds like she's been reunited with her mate!"

Laughing, I leaned away from Peter so that we stood a foot apart from one another. "Everyone! I have some friends I want you to meet!"

I whistled. It wasn't that loud, but it didn't need to be. The dragons heard me perfectly. The ground trembled slightly as the claws of hundreds of dragons strode on the grass and dirt below.

"What the-" Will began, staring at the grass in shock.

Peter's hand tightened, "What's going on?"

"I'd like you to meet-" I began to make introductions when Redwens made himself known to the humans and Narnians.

In a loud clear voice he said, "Little one! Where are you? Oh my little one! Blasted mist," I could just hear the frown in my friend's voice. "Let's get rid of this horrid stuff. I can't see a damn thing!"

"Who is that?" Lucy wondered aloud.

Just as she shut her mouth, it fell open in shock. In just one second, the surrounding mist had been burned away. In the following second, the Empire met Narnia. There was only silence as dragons met humans and Narnians for the first time in centuries.

Tervian snorted, releasing a large burst of steam, "More humans. _Fantastic._"

Redwens giggled, "Yay! More little ones!"

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**Review Responses:**

**Banana Coconut:** First of all, thank you for reading my story until the most recent chapter. However, I fail to understand how you could read both the first and second installments of Royal Findings if you dislike Kay so much. I'm sorry to hear this. Naturally she would stand out from the Narnians- she's from another world and radically differing culture. This 'freakish' fact is the very reason why Peter (and Edmund) are interested in her. People are allured and drawn to different accents and cultures. I should know. I'm American, born and raised, and then moved to England. My first day of school I had a crowd of people surrounding me- begging me to speak with my 'ace' and 'cool' accent. But _thank you_ for your honesty. It's been quite some time since I've had a review like yours and I respect your opinion. I hope you'll continue to read my story until the end.

**Phil Archer:** Hurrah! I actually could feel a difference when I was writing chapters 49 and 50. I get so much more absorbed and I suppose that improves my dialogue and general quality. Haha, I hope that the length of this chapter satisfied you. It's longer than 49.

**Dares to Dream:** Ah right, well it would have been proper freaky if you did live in Western England. Anyways, I kind of like Tervian. He's fiesty and he's a prince. Fun combination to write about! Hahaha, I hope that the last sentence in this chapter made you laugh or that 'strange noise between a laugh and a snort'. (I do that ALL the time.)

**A. Monica:** Cheers! Thank you so much for reading! Haha, I love Redwens. Honestly, I wish he was real because he'd totally be my homeboy. Hope he keeps you smiling. : D

**Final Fairy:** *laughs nervously* Uhhh... No worries, I don't have any plans of killing Redwens. I just introduced him to the story. It wouldn't be fun to say goodbye! Besides, he's sort of my favorite right now. . Don't tell Vicern.

**xXthenextbookwormXx:** YOU ROCK. Honestly, for the past couple of days I've thoroughly enjoyed your numerous reviews. I have a blackberry so it pings every time I receive an email (a fanfic review) and bloody hell... You've caused lots of pings. But seriously, I love that. Thank you for reviewing multiple times and not just once at the end. HUG! : D


	52. Chapter 51

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**Chapter 51**

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Only a few more chapters to go... And a week until college. Yikes.

_Now enjoy:_

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When no one said anything- not even an exclamation of surprise or fright- I laughed nervously.

"Meet my friends, the Dragon Empire." To prove that they were indeed friends and not human-eating monsters, I walked over and leaned against Redwens' leg. "This is Captain Redwens and _that_ is Prince Tervian."

"You're all so _very_ small," Redwens declared happily. "But it is a pleasure to meet you."

"Which one of you is the King of Narnia?" Tervian asked bluntly, "I demand a formal meeting between a royal of Narnia and the Empire."

"You're... a dragon," Alyssa pointed stupidly at Tervian. I flinched and waited for his snide comment.

As expected, Tervian growled, "It seems that humans are even dumber than I thought."

"HEY!" Will stepped forward, "Watch your mouth."

I stared at the young man. Whoa, since when had Will grown such a backbone? Apparently Will doesn't know the meaning of fear when it comes to protecting Alyssa. How sweet.

Tervian ignored Will, "Who is the King?"

"There are several kings," I told Tervian. "You already know that Caspian is the current ruler."

"Yes but then Ambassador Wilesia mentioned that your mate is called the _High_ King," Tervian replied with a roll of his eyes. "Fine then, which one of you gangly creatures is this Caspian?"

Caspian stood forward nervously, but his voice was surprisingly confident, "I am and I would like to welcome you to Narnia. Allow me to to introduce..."

The rest of his words didn't reach my ears. In fact, all the dragons and I fell deaf to the human King in front of us. A voice in the distance, barely a whisper even to our powerful ears, hissed.

_"Heh, we will have blood."_

Tervian snapped to attention and faced East into the mist. His eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Kay," Redwens stiffened. "Get on my-"

But I was already moving and landed on his back with my helmet securely on. Gravely I said, "Way ahead of you."

"I can smell them," Tervian growled.

"W-What's going on?" Lucy sounded alarmed, reminding me that we had a crowd.

"We have incoming, get everyone ready!" I looked at Peter and Edmund. "Hurry!"

Instantly, Edmund and Duke took off running. They began to shout orders. Alyssa grabbed onto Will in fright and before I could see everyone else's reactions, Redwens hummed a high tone. Just as I grabbed onto his sides, we took off into the sky.

"You three!" Tervian told the group who flew loyally behind us, "Remain behind and burn the mist away in the entire camp and surrounding area. The fools will need to _see_ to prepare for war."

"How do we do that your highness?" A deep purple dragon inquired, not even slightly panicked. I suppose they're accustomed to tense situations.

"Release magical energy," I answered. "It takes concentration but it's not difficult. I'm sure-"

The purple dragon closed her eyes and I gasped when an invisible wall of magic killed a hundred feet of mist. Now, much more of the Narnian camp was visible! Wow... a hundred feet on her first (and successful) attempt. Obviously, the dragons were masters at magic. Suddenly, I felt very... young and silly. Everyone, including myself, had viewed my magical abilities as well developed and powerful. But really, I was an amateur compared to the dragons. They were the real fire souls. I had just lucked out and been given a taste of fire. As we flew away, I sighed deeply.

We zoomed through that mist. Tervian, Redwens, and I alternated in releasing energy to keep the air in front of us clean. With clear air for about six feet in front of us at all times, we weren't completely blind.

_"Silence!"_ A raspy voice hissed at its companions,_ "Do you hear that?"_

_"Hear what?" _This second voice was so harsh that I winced, how awful to have such sounds come out of your throat!

_"It sounds like wings,"_ Another croaky monster said hotly, _"It's just some birds! Who cares? I want to drink blood... Human blood!"_

They were close, I could even hear one of them breathing heavily. Fools! They had no idea what was coming for them in the mist... How suddenly they had become the prey and we the predators.

_"Let's go,"_ The first voice ordered. _"We have our orders..."_

_"Even if the princess hasn't returned, I want to kill! It has been many weeks since I have feasted upon the flesh of-"_

_"There will be no kills! We have remained hidden for the past weeks, the Narnians must not know of our presence."_

A snarl filled the mist, _"I am hungry! The smell of their flesh still lingers in my nose from our check last night-"_

_"Until the princess returns, we will not touch them!"_

As I slowly withdrew my Sais, I couldn't help but listen to their every word. Why were they waiting for me? Obviously the Shadows knew the exact location of the Narnian camp, but why had they not attacked? With this mist, the Narnians would have no chance in battle. The Shadows could easily slaughter their enemy. So why wait?

_"Why does the Shadow need her blasted wand anyway? He is already mighty and powerful!"_

_"Silence!"_ A new voice joined the conversation, _"Do you not hear those wings still? They grow louder!"_

_"Weapons!"_ The first voice bellowed. _"Those are not birds idiots!"_

Of course... the Shadow wanted my wand! It's like Wilesia said, fire is a raw and pure type of magic. A dark, evil, and cold soul would not be able to keep such passionate flames under control. All this time the Narnians have been sitting ducks... They're only alive right now because I had gone to the Empire. Somehow, the Shadows knew that I had disappeared and so they waited. It all made sense now. They knew that I would return to the Narnians, I was their Guardian for Aslan's sake! So they watched from the mist, waiting at their leisure for my return with my wand. Too bad they didn't take into account that I would've brought back help.

Redwens' back arched slightly and I knew that this was it. He was warning me that we were seconds away from combat. My fingers tightened around the handles of my two trusty blades, the dragons around me brought their wings closer to their bodies to minimize their wingspan, less space for an arrow or spear to hit.

Then the leg of a monster came into view. Instantly, in one silent agreement, the first dozen of us released a burst of energy. The energy united and expanded, turning into one giant wave of magic. The wave blasted through the surrounding area and to my astonishment I could see... _everything_! As far as my eyes could see, the mist had disappeared.

"HOLY CRAP!" I couldn't help screeching. What were the possibilities?! If eleven dragons and me could clear miles of mist, how quickly could an army take care of the rest of Narnia? Then I realized that I had shouted during a surprise attack, oops. Actually, it didn't matter because the mist disappearing had already reported our presence to the monsters. As a matter of fact, their black, beady eyes stared up in absolute shock at us.

My nose scrunched up in distaste- they were ugly little buggers.

A quick count told me there were six of them. 2 were hags and they screeched instantly as they turned and ran. 3 were ghouls who all shakily lifted their weapons, knowing they could not outfly a horde of dragons. However, it was the final creature that caught my attention. A puzzled giant stood towering over his comrades, appearing uncertain about this new development. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes because giants couldn't really help their low intelligence level... It ran in the family apparently.

"Get the hags," Tervian ordered Redwens. "I'll take care of the ghouls."

"Hold on tightly," Redwens warned me. His voice was so... flat. Devoid of emotion and his usual spirit. Just like Peter he had entered solider mode as we came into battle. He hummed a deep tune and we descended sharply and I winced when Redwens easily snatched a hag into his mouth. One second later, the sickening cracks of bones snapping and shattering made me shiver. But this was no time to be frightened or sympathetic! Remembering my duty, I jumped off Redwens back and landed with a solid 'thud' on the ground in front of the second hag.

"I need information," I lifted my sais so that the blades pressed against her wrinkly skin. Behind her dirty beak, two terrified black eyes gazed back at me. This was an older hag, much more wiser and evil than younger ones. She even had an ax at her hip, which implied she knew how to fight.

Her claws lowered slightly, towards her weapon, but I pressed my blade into her neck, "Don't even think about it. Now, how many are in the Shadows' army?"

She hissed in defiance.

I cut her throat slightly, making some drops of blood fall. "You have two options. You can die having every bone in your body crushed as dragon fangs tear you apart... Or I can give you a quick and painless death, but only after you give me answers."

That's when the ghouls howled and screamed in agony. Both the hag and I turned to see as Tervian and a blue dragon ripped the goblins apart mercilessly. I wanted to throw up, seeing all those internal entrails, but I couldn't appear weak. So I forced out a sigh, "See? Is that what you want to happen to you?"

Apparently, their little display of teeth and power convinced her to finally answer. She hunched over and in a rough voice replied, "Four thousand."

My stomach fell slightly at such a large number, "H-How?"

"We have waited," She hissed, "In this shadows for more than 1000 years... Our numbers have grown!"

"What is the master plan?" I snapped, not appreciating her proud tone. She was right though, all the dark creatures have had more than a thousand years to breed and multiply while the Telmarines ruled.

"Leave Agnie alone!" A deafening voice shouted at me. Out of surprise, I nearly dropped my blades which allowed the hag, now known as Agnie, to escape. She only managed to hobble five feet before I tackled her down. As we landed on the grass below, the whole area seemed to tremble as the giant sprinted towards us. Apparently, the giant favored Agnie over his other comrades. But he never reached us because Tervian was suddenly there, serving as a living fire-breathing shield.

"And _you_ will leave Makayla alone!" His voice had never been so icy... so deadly. I couldn't believe my eyes. Tervian was defending me? I would have expected Redwens to jump to my aid, but the snooty dragon prince? And even more shocking- Terv had called me by my name! Sure, it wasn't Kay... But Makayla was definitely an improvement from 'human' or 'weakling'.

Keeping my blades against the hag's neck again, I watched in fascination as Tervian released his wings. He looked magnificent. The sun, something so full of light, made his dark and black form radiant... The glow only emphasized his beauty and authority.

And then the giant's shadow overwhelmed the prince's smaller body. The giant continued to run but had now slightly bent over, his arms reaching out to grab hold of the dragon.

"WATCH OU-" I screamed impulsively. Why wasn't Tervian moving? He was going to be crushed-

Without warning, Tervian raised then dropped his wings so powerfully that he launched into the air. He had barely cleared the giant's head before stabbing his talons into the exposed skin. The giant cried out in pain and I had to look away as several other dragons joined their prince. The rest of the fleet had landed in the grass around us. For as far as I could see, dragons stood patiently, waving their tails or adjusting their armor. It seemed that the sight of their fellow soldiers and prince killing a giant wasn't appealing. They almost looked bored.

"What's the master plan?" I repeated my question to the cowering hag.

"We were to wait for your return," She croaked. "One of my masters wants your wand..."

"And after I returned? Then what?" I shook her impatiently.

"Sneak into the camp with the cover of the mist at night," Agnie cackled evilly, "Kill you and steal the wand. Then after our return, our masters would have slaughtered you blind fools!"

I raised an eyebrow, "Why are you laughing? The mist will soon be gone and hello? We have dragons on our side now... Your masters are going down!"

"Never! My masters shall succeed and once again we will rule-" Agnie fell silent as Redwens smoothly beheaded her. I hadn't noticed him approaching and I squeaked when blood splashed onto my hands and arms.

"Redwens!" I groaned, "I had more questions!"

"Sorry," Redwens shrugged, "She was annoying."

"Warn me next time, will you?" I muttered, dropping her body in disgust. Glancing over my shoulder, I wasn't surprised to see the dead body of the giant. But I quickly looked away because his wounds were rather graphic. "Bloody hell, you lot are insane."

"I believe you mean to say 'thank you' to us," Tervian scoffed.

"Thank you," I said seriously. "But honestly, do you have kill them so... violently?"

"Have you seen our teeth?" Redwens giggled, proving his normal personality had returned, "It's a bit difficult to eat, let alone kill, like a gentlemen."

I sighed, "I guess that's true. Hey Tervian?"

"What do you want now human?" He said warily.

"Oh, now I'm back to 'human'?" I punched his leg, "What happened to being on first name basis?"

Tervian scowled, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

His cousin giggled and then asked, "So! What do we do now?"

And strangely, it seemed like everyone instantly looked at me with expectation. Nervously, I tugged on my braid, "Uhhh... Well, let's think. If they were going to return to their camp and report their findings, then the Shadows would know they were killed if they never came back. So a trip to the North of Owlwood from here and back would take a full day..."

"We have a day then?" Tervian sounded very pleased, "That's more than enough time-"

"No wait," I tapped my chin. "That's by foot. The ghouls probably would have flown back to report while the hags and giant kept watch on the camp. By _air_ the journey would only last, oh Aslan, an hour or so!"

Redwens had no giggles for us this time, "We have an hour before the Shadows know their scouts are dead."

"And about an hour until they come looking for them," Tervian growled. "We'll have a few hours since they'll need to assemble but that's hardly enough time."

"We still need to clear as much of Narnia as we can," I protested. "The more land we clean, the more Narnians will be able to see and join the fight. We'll stay clear of the North though, don't let the Shadows know we can burn their mist away."

"Why not?" Tervian snorted, sending balls of steam flying at my face, "Let's show the bastards what we can do!"

I shook my head, "No... They think that if they were to march on the Narnian camp it would be a surprise. As far as they know, their beloved mist is still everywhere. Let them keep thinking that, so the don't bring about any other magic tricks that could mean trouble for us."

"Yes," Redwens nodded. "When they do march on us, they will be caught off guard when they suddenly walk out of the mist and into plain view. Very vulnerable!"

"Very well then," Tervian declared and raised his voice so his fleet of fierce dragons could hear him, "We spread out! Travel in groups of five but do not travel North. Return to the Narnian camp in an hour. Stay safe my brothers and sisters."

It was one of the most wonderful sights I had ever seen. The dragons gathered into groups of five within seconds and then lifted themselves into the air. They disappeared in all directions and I gazed up in the sky with a smile. So many colors in the sunlight! So many brave souls!

"Right then," Redwens cleared his throat. "Where are we going?"

"The three of us will return to camp," Tervian answered. "It is time that the Empire and Narnia meet properly. Also, this King Caspian will need to be informed of what we have discovered."

"Plus, I need a tunic," I beamed.

"Females!" Tervian rolled his eyes before flying away.

Happy with the thought of seeing everyone again, I hopped onto Redwens' back and we followed the prince. It took only a minute to return to the camp and this time, we were welcomed with shouts of praise and joy. To my enormous relief, there was no sign of a mist anywhere. The dragons who had remained behind had completed their mission perfectly. As far as my eyes could see, the land of Narnia was visible.

"KAY!"

Edmund stopped running when he saw us sweeping down. As we landed, he rushed up and opened his arms. Laughing, I jumped off Redwens but landed to the side of my friend, "I don't need you to catch me Ed."

His eyes widened as he took in my appearance, "Is that blood? What happened?"

"We have information," I informed him. "Let's find the other Kings, they'll need to know."

"What about the Prince?" Ed joked.

"I'd like to keep Duke out of this," I bit my lip. "He's still not as experienced as the rest of us. I still classify him as a civilian, not a soldier."

"But-" Ed began to defend his fellow man.

"Yes, he does have skills... And I'd rather have him use them to protect Alyssa and Will, but as far away from the front line as possible," I took a deep breath. "Now, where is the head tent?"

"Follow me," Edmund grabbed my hand, despite its dirty and bloody state.

Someone coughed arrogantly.

I rolled my eyes, "Yes Tervian, you can come too."

"I wasn't asking for permission," The prince raised his head slightly in offense, "I merely do not like to be ignored."

"Sorry mate," Edmund laughed nervously. "I'm still not used to the idea of having dragons around."

"And we are not used to the idea of having tiny little things around us," Redwens added cheerfully, "But I am sure that we will grow used to one another. I'll do my best not to step on any of you! We wouldn't want that, now would we? Hehe!"

Ed gave me a funny look. I shrugged, "He's special. Just ignore him."

Redwens frowned but I could have sworn I saw Tervian smile under the shadow of his helmet. Maybe not though, I can't really imagine Tervian having a sincere smile. The two dragons followed us as we walked through the busy camp.

"How have you been?" Edmund asked suddenly. "Have you been eating enough? Did you run into any trouble during your journey? Where in the name of Aslan did you go anyways? You haven't explained-"

"I'm fine," I smiled, "Really, I am. I ate plenty while at Dragon Island and Wilesia-"

"WHAT?" Ed blanched, "You went to Dragon Island?"

"Obviously if we're standing here," Tervian interrupted. He really does not like being excluded from conversations does he? Redwens remained silent though, but only because he was too busy taking in the sights. The many 'little ones' around him captured and held his attention.

"You're the prince?" Ed sounded a bit wary now.

"Yes," Tervian responded snidely.

"Not very much of a diplomat is he?" My human friend muttered to himself. Unfortunately, dragons had great hearing and Tervian released some steam. To my surprise though, he didn't respond. Maybe Edmund's comment had hit home for the dragon prince.

We turned a bend and I recognized the scenery before me. Edmund had brought us to the same place I had visited during my vision. Huddled around a table, now free of a lamp, were Peter, Vicern, and Caspian.

It was Peter who saw us first and when his eyes landed on me, his face lit up. "You're back!"

"Yes, sorry about that," I rubbed the back of my neck. "There was a group of- Ah!"

Peter had lifted me into the air and twirled me. As he brought my feet back to solid ground, he kissed me. "Stop it."

"Stop what?" I frowned.

"Stop running off like that," He kissed my forehead, "I've never been so worried for so long in my life."

My cheeks heated up, "Sorry."

"Prince Tervian, Captain Redwens welcome," Caspian greeted the royal dragons.

"King Caspian," Tervian nodded his head stiffly.

"Hello!" Redwens smiled in excitement, causing the men around me to all tense. The shiny, razor sharp teeth alarmed them. "Who are you?" Redwens motioned towards Vicern.

"King Vicern," My elf friend bowed politely to Redwens and Tervian.

"Ah! So this is 'his elfiness'," Redwens beamed. "I've been looking forward to meeting you."

Vi blinked in surprise at the friendliness of the great beast in front of him. For several moments, the men (well men and one elf) and dragons examined each other. After a comfortable silence, I leaned against Peter, glad to have him near again.

"Kay," Caspian cleared his throat. "I think it's time that you explain where you have been."

"Okay," I agreed. "But before we get to that, we need to prepare for war. The Shadows and their army will be here in a few hours."

Peter's arms slipped around my torso, "Let's start organizing then."

"The army is already preparing for battle," Ed said and then paused, "Where are the other dragons?"

"My people are currently burning the rest of the mist away," Tervian informed the Kings. "They'll return in an hour."

Caspian nodded, "Thank you, your kindness will never be forgotten. Now let us talk strategy..."

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Peace.

Well, at least for the time being. The army stood ready in the grassy plain below the hills on which I lay. Dressed in a tunic, I lay on my back and tried to enjoy the last few minutes of quiet. On the grass besides me was my black helmet and wand. My sais, as always, were securely in their sheaths at my waist.

A shadow fell over me and I opened my eyes.

"Tired?" Peter smiled sympathetically down at me. Despite the fact he already wore his armor, he laid down besides me. It was awkward and most likely uncomfortable, but he did it anyway. Reaching out, he took my hand into his metal covered one.

"I missed you," were the words that just flew from my mouth. I wasn't embarrassed, in fact I felt comfortable saying them. This was Peter after all and quite possibly still my future husband.

"Take care of yourself out there," He stared at me seriously. "Redwens has already assured me that he will watch over you and-"

"I'll be fine," I grumbled. "I don't need a babysitter."

"No, Kay, this time is different. We're going to be fighting Susan and yourself," Peter's voice wavered. "I don't... I don't know if I'll be able to fight them."

I nodded, "It will be odd, but just remember, it's not really them. I'm here, right next to you. Susan is being controlled as well as Niomee. Wait, why are you worried? I thought we agreed that this would be a magical battle and-"

"Yes," Peter squeezed my hand, "But do you really expect me to just sit on a horse and watch you and the dragons fight this alone? No way am I letting you off alone again!"

Just like Peter, to valiantly put himself into harms way unnecessarily. The plans for the battle had been rather simple and direct. The primary targets were the Shadows and we hoped that if the Shadows were defeated, their army would surrender. The Empire and I would fight them magically, with the Narnian army safely away. No one else needed to die, this didn't need to be a war of blades.

"Just don't rush into battle," I pleaded. "Let us fight magically first and if things look bad then... Well, I suppose it will just become yet another bloody battle."

"Alright," Peter conceded. "Kay?"

"Yeah?"

"After this is all over, we'll finally have the ceremony."

My eyes widened, "Y-You still want to marry me?"

Peter gaped, "What do you mean?"

"I just..." I chuckled nervously, "I just thought that after I marched off to find a dragon against your orders and other acts of my stupidity that you wouldn't want to... Well, yeah."

He ran his other hand through his hair, "You're such an idiot sometimes Kay."

"I know," I murmured. "Sorry."

"No!" Peter groaned, "I didn't really mean that. It's just... Sometimes you always assume the worst, which surprises me since you're my beacon of hope. Nothing, not even time or worlds, could stop me from wanting to marry you."

A horn sounded.

We both sat up immediately and I fluidly got onto my feet. Peter on the other hand looked up sheepishly at me, "A little help here?"

"Sure," I smiled grimly and pulled him up. We both slipped on our helmets and I held my wand in my right hand. Rapidly we retreated down the hillside to join the Narnian army below. As we descended, I forced myself to look into the distance. On the other side of the massive plain was the great wall of mist and to my horror, three giants were visible already. At their feet came a steady flow of monsters and beasts. Fear gripped my heart! There were so many of them and they kept walking out of the mist... Where were the Shadows? Could I handle fighting them? They were so powerful and could I really kill someone with my body? What if I failed? What if-

"We'll win Kay," Peter's voice brought me back to sense. "I recognize that look, don't think like that. We can do this... _You _can do this."

"O-Okay," I hadn't realized how heavily I was breathing.

"After this I swear to Aslan you will be my wife," Peter leaned forward and kissed me. His lips brought a much-needed sense of calm to me. The panic and fear the held control of my heart and nerves were replaced with love and comfort.

I smiled as we separated, "I'll see you later my King."

"Till then my Queen," Peter grinned. And then he walked away, which I knew must have been hard for him to do. He would lead the Narnian army with the other Kings. By now, the large army of the Shadows had fully emerged from the mist. The thousands of beasts all swayed uneasily, obviously unsure of how to proceed. They had been expecting more mist and an easy slaughter... Not an equal battle.

"Cowards," I spat now standing front and center. The point was to have the Shadows see me, I was the bait. And when they came after me, I would give the signal for the dragons. The Empire's finest soldiers were hidden on the other side of the hills, staying out of sight from the Shadows. It's ironic really... The Shadows had planned on launching a surprise attack when really, it was them would be caught off guard.

Just as a small smile tugged on the corners of my lips, I saw them. The sight of the three figures wiped all amusement off my face and I froze in place. With my eyes, I could make them out perfectly, as if they were standing just a few feet away from me.

The Shadows.

Lady Niomee stood to the left and she casually held a huge ax over her shoulder. Normally, such a noble lady would have never been able to lift such a weapon, but this wasn't Niomee. The Shadow frowned at the sight of our army and spoke to the person beside him.

Me.

Well, sort of. Even though I knew to expect it, nothing could have prepared me for this experience. There, standing across the place which would mark a monumental battle in the history of all worlds... Was _me_. My dead body brought back to life. Honestly, how had this happened? Why me? I had been a simple girl, living a comfortable life in a normal town. I wasn't special, I had no desire to be extraordinary. In fact, I had lived perfectly content...

For some crazy reason, Aslan had chosen me. Had he seen my destiny? Had he seen the love that could grow inside me for a stranger named Peter Pevensie? I didn't want to kill, I didn't want to fight, but I did want to love. And if going through all the pain and troubles meant being with Peter... If I had to die and come back to life, see my tomb and dead body, and fight wars then yes, I'd go through them. For Peter.

But still, could I really kill myself? I had to- the death of the Shadows meant peace for Narnia. Only when Narnia found peace would I be released from my Guardian duties... Then I could just be me again. Kay, that mundane girl who liked to play sports and be silly with her friends. I wanted that life back, normality and ignorance. Where I didn't have to worry about politics, protecting an entire country, or living a public life.

I just had to get through this war and _finally_ I would be free. I could live a life with Peter... I didn't know where or how we would do it... But it didn't matter. I had to trust Aslan and destiny.

Lifting my wand above my head I taunted, "You want this? COME AND GET IT SHADOWS!"

Unfortunately, they didn't take the bait at first. Instead, the shadow inside Susan waved her hand lazily. At the motion, the first half of the Shadow army came charging at us.

"Archers!" I shouted.

I heard Vicern's voice yell, "FIRE!"

Thousands of arrows flew into the sky, almost blocking out the sunlight from above. They descended onto the helpless creatures below. Cries of pain filled the air and only a few hundred monsters continued to run at us. Unfortunately for them, another wave of arrows came falling at them. Before they could pierce the creatures, something strange happened.

A shadow fell over the battlefield, but there were no clouds in the sky. Suddenly, everything became very dark and I could see my breath. A faun nearly dropped his spear besides me as he began to shiver violently.

"The shadows!" I gasped, "What sort of magic is this?"

They were making everything so cold... so dark...

"Y-Your highn-ness," A cheetah spoke with chattering teeth, "Y-You're g-glowing!"

Glancing down at myself, I was amazed to see that a healthy glow of orange and red radiated off me. I was like a flame in the midst of this darkness.

"Let the magical battle begin," I growled before twirling my wand above my head. As it spun, energy collected and I shouted, "LONG LIVE THE EMPIRE!"

Sure enough, as soon as the words left my mouth, the ground below began to shake violently. Both armies struggled to stay on their feet as dozens of dragons poured over the hilltops. They galloped without fear or hesitation. Their magnificent scales glowed brightly as they entered the dark and icy battlefield. As I looked out towards the Shadows, I bit my lip when I saw Lady Niomee extending her arms towards us. Her eyes were pure black... Obviously filled and controlled by evil.

But it was the crackling dark energy that spilled out of her hands that worried me. It fell to the grass bellow, turning the once healthy greenery into a shriveled and dead weed. The energy gathered and began to flow across the plain. It was a river of evil energy.

Then a familiar motion took over my body. A solid helmet pressed against my back and threw me into the air. Redwens stood in place as I flipped and landed onto his back. His eyes were gleaming dangerously, "This is dark magic."

"I can't see your breath," I frowned. "Why aren't you effected by the cold?"

"My throat is filled with fire and steam," He growled in anger at the Shadows, "It will take more than some darkness to effect me!"

Tervian arrived at our side, "Stay safe... Both of you."

Redwens nodded but kept his eyes fixed on the growing river of blackness.

I hopped across, so that I stood on Tervian now. His body went rigid at my action but relaxed when I wrapped my arms around his neck. My fingers found a space between the armor and tingling shot up my arms. "Thank you Tervian, for everything."

"You are a sister of the Empire. I am Prince Tervian and am the Empire itself... Therefore, you are my sister and I your brother."

Such kind and deep words from Tervian! I reluctantly withdrew my hands and returned to Redwens' back. Tervian's eyes met mine briefly and I smiled tentatively. For once, he didn't sneer or smirk... Instead, Tervian nodded respectfully before humming a high pitch.

We left the ground behind.

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**Review Responses:**

**ChaosHasCome:** Hmmmm, I'm not sure what you would classify as a 'big role' since there are so many 'major' characters in this. Vicern, Duke, Peter, Kay, Ed, and so on... haha Honestly, in the past 2 chapters I've realized how many characters I'm working with! Insanity! I hoped you enjoyed Tervian's little moment in this chapter... But I do have a 'big role' for him during the battle... Wait and see!

**Chitown4183:** Oh definitely, if they don't realize how crazy lucky they are to have the dragons yet... Well, they'll understand once they see the dragons in action during the battle. Roar!!!!! (Redwens is MINE.)

**nArNiApRiNcEsS:** Hey, thanks for your review. Yeah, I try to keep something always going on in the plot... I'm glad that you've enjoyed it so far! Ahhh! Thank you for reviewing and reading!

**Dares to Dream:** Oh snap, sorry to hear about your dad's car. My step mom's car was broken into a few months ago... Did they take anything? Yikes! Anyways... Hmmm I don't think she's frolicking but I can imagine that from her. hehe I'm glad that you liked the chapter and I LOVE your reviews and feedback! You're one of my favorite readers (shhh don't tell... crap unless other people are reading this... uhhhh... I love you all! I promise!)

**BloomFanatic95:** I'm assuming you're a fanatic for Orlando Bloom? Nice, I like him too hehe. Anyways, THANKS for the review!! Yup, Redwens is one of my favorite characters and sorry toots but he's totally MINE. : P So back off and don't worry, I'll be sure to explain Tervian's character in these last few chapters.

**Phil Archer:** Hurrah, nearly finished with this story and it's a bit sad to write these last few chapters... But glad to have you aboard, sir! And thank you, I'm flattered that you viewed my British terms as 'natural'. Yes, I spent a year of high school in England as a foreign exchange student. : ) Ace times. --- Some more British slang for you.

**xXthenextbookwormXx:** Haha, well I'm very relieved that someone with such an awesome sense of humor is reading this. Seriously, I absolutely loved those pings and therefore I love you. (In a non-creepy way, I promise.) But alas! That love is not enough to give you Redwens because he's MINE! : P Plus, other readers have been trying to claim him. I bet if we tried to capture him he wouldn't mind since we'd be 'cute little ones' chasing after him. Ohhhh gotta love Redwens. Nope, I'm not British but I did live in England for a year as a foreign exchange student. So, my mates out there have deemed me 1/2 British. Just in case you're curious though, I'm actually from California.

**Cloudy Glass:** You know, I keep asking that question too. Honestly, this world would be so much better if we had Redwens here to giggle! And thank you (really don't know how to emphasis this) for your comment... It tells me a lot about the quality and expertise of a reader if they can tell the difference in my writing. I'm very glad to you have you as a reader! : )

**Lil' Pirate Lass:** WOO. Hi stranger ; ) Thanks for the review. Don't hurt me because I will be updating soon again! Eeek, thank you for your feedback. And no worries, I enjoy blabbering. PS. REDWENS IS MINE!

**N.V. Nohbdy:** I just wanted to say that I freaking love your penname. Ahhhh, super jealous. And thanks for the review hehe.

**Lolipops09:** Really? COOL! :D Then you can read it as if it were your story...

**Final Fairy:** I think Redwens makes everyone's day.


	53. Chapter 52

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**Chapter 52**

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Only a few more chapters to go... And less than a week until college. Yikes.

_Now enjoy:_

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"Release... NOW!" Tervian roared. At his command, twenty dragons released energy. Red-orange hues of crackling energy exploded throughout the air. Bursts of heat hit my face as the darkness seemed to slink away from the plain. Letting out a tentative breath, I was pleased to see nothing. The cold had been melted away.

"They look angry," I sniggered when seeing the Shadows. Susan looked furious, the expression of such hate was so strange. Having such kind and gentle nature, the real Susan would never appear so vengeful. And then there was me... My body trembled in fury before turning to Susan and speaking.

My voice.

Everyone obviously hears their voice when they speak, but it sounds different to how others hear it. I remember when I heard myself on home videos I always noticed this. From an outside view, your voice is slightly altered from the way you hear it personally. And so if I thought seeing and hearing myself on home video was weird... This was just plain _creepy!_

The Shadow-Kay spoke a strange language to the other two shadows. It was full of clicking and odd noises, judging by the uneasy expressions of the beasts around them it seemed that none of their soldiers could understand a word. Talk about being excluded...

"Watch the river!" I gasped when the darkness flowed steadily towards the nervous Narnians.

Tervian shouted some orders and obediently several dragons dropped suddenly. They dived down towards the earth with incredible speed, but leveled out just before crashing into the ground. As they glided at a steady elevation, they opened their mouths and out came hell's fires. Great streams of flames united and made contact with the dark river. No one expected the reaction.

"AHHH!" I screamed as the explosion rocked throughout the battlefield. The ground broke apart, creating chasms and large cracks. Both armies shouted and cried out in alarm as they attempted to remain upright. But I didn't see any of this. I didn't even witness the Shadow Niomee get thrown off her feet and into the leg of a giant. I didn't see her neck snap, a movement which would have killed anyone, before she calmly brought her hands to her neck. With an angry snarl, the petite elf snapped her neck back into place. But I didn't see any of this because I was thrown off Redwens. The explosion had sent a wave of energy throughout the air, hitting the dragons without mercy.

Dragon howls filled the air along with my very human scream. I closed my eyes and out of reflex reached out for something to grab on, but there was no one. My fingers only felt air and as I fell, my eyes snapped open. Twirling downward was Redwens but his neck was swinging wildly, he was looking for me. It was then I realized how badly the explosion had hit us. My vision failed when my eyes began to sting dreadfully and I felt a thick liquid running down my face. As I tumbled downward, the wind wiped most of the blood off my skin, but some still managed to get in my eyes.

I heard a whistle.

Immediately, I prepared myself for impact. One hand wiped furiously at my eyes, just enough so that I could open my them again and see Redwens, flying quick as a bullet, aiming for a space of air beneath me. The other hand tightened its grasp on my wand, making sure not to drop it as I collided with dragon scales. And boy, did it _hurt._ This time, I didn't have the luxury of using my arms and legs to break my fall. I didn't even have the luxury of a peaceful landing because as soon as I was on his back, Redwens tilted deeply to the right.

"WHAT THE FU-" I began to scream at him, but a screech drowned out my words. To my horror, I watched as a spectre's talons barely missed my head. Redwens had saved my life twice now. If he hadn't dodged, I would be headless right now. Anxiously, I glanced around me.

A full on battle raged on now.

Every winged monster and evil beast imaginable had joined the dragons in the air. Talons sliced, claws scratched, and fangs tore apart skin. Blood fell from the heavens, staining the once pure plain below. I should have felt fear and worry, but I didn't.

Excitement and adrenaline pumped through my veins. For once, I had an advantage in war. For once, there was no reason to fear failure. With the claws, deadly teeth, and fire of the dragons helping me... The Guardian of Narnia unstoppable. A new sort of feeling rushed through me. _Pleasure._

"Kay!" Redwens growled in warning.

Snapping to attention, I watched with delight as a wraith and ghoul flew towards us. Their fangs were exposed and seemed to grow as they came closer. Red, malicious eyes gleamed in pleasure into my blue, frightened ones. Redwens roared, a noise so ferocious that I smirked. The ghoul's wicked expression fell, suddenly it looked nervous. Too late to escape though, Redwens unleashed a mighty rush of fire. The goblin's weak skin burned at once and to my dark pleasure I watched its ashes disappeared in the breeze. However, the wraith was quick. It dodged the flames and lunged at us from the side. While Redwens burned its comrade, the wraith attacked.

Unfortunately for the wraith, it seemed to forget that I also had some fire tricks up my sleeve. Before it could retract its outstretched jaw, filled with razor sharp daggers, the wraith found the end of a wand touching its distorted nose.

"Goodbye," I hissed before melting the bastard. Just as I pulled my arm back, Tervian hummed two fast beats. Dropping down, I used my free arm to grasp onto his torso. Not a second later, we flipped, successfully escaping the lethal claws of three spectres.

In those few seconds that was I upside down, timed seem to slow down. My eyes traveled to the ground below and I finally noticed the torn earth. Despite the damaged field, the armies were currently charging at one another. Thankfully, the river of dark energy had been destroyed by the dragons' fiery breath. Of course, my eyes landed on one soldier in particular. Peter rode on the back of a magnificent brown stallion. His arm was raised, proudly pointing his legendary sword at the enemy in bravery. However, the thousands of enemy soldiers running towards my love stole my attention.

"Let's burn them!" I hollered in exultation. "DRAGONS!"

Even though we found ourselves the targets of monsters in the air, the dragons and I descended to engage those on the ground. The ghouls shrieked in glee, foolishly thinking they now had an advantage, but their noise quickly turned into silence. Dragon scales hardly received scratches from ghoul claws. The remaining ghouls soon fell dead from the skies. However, the stronger and speedy talons of the wraiths and imps were threats. More than often, dragon roars of agony rang in my ears.

I never heard such a distressing sound from Redwens though, with me on his back, not a single wraith or imp managed to hurt my friend. Not even as he swept only feet above the ground, cutting down monsters with his gigantic and spiked tail. Blotches of blood sprayed onto my face from the swinging limb, but I didn't notice. I was too caught up in releasing as much fire as I could manage from my wand. It was strange, being so close to the front line of the Shadow Army at such a speed. They couldn't even lift their weapons in time in attempt to save their pathetic lives. One moment they ran towards the Narnian army with arrogant smirks and sinister cackles... And the next a green blur bringing death flew by. _It was fantastic._

Just like a bullet, Redwens brought a swift death. The thought made me grin silly.

And he wasn't the only dragon who descended. Dozens more hovered over the crimson stained grass below. The Shadow soldiers fell in masses, never standing a chance. The air around me grew so hot from the hundreds of fire streams from the dragons that my body steamed. I must have looked barbaric. What would people from my world think? Blonde, blue-eyed girls in lovely dresses were an image of innocent and peace. Yet, here I was. Hair dirty, full of dirt and sweat, tunic torn and covered in thick blood, and eyes full of an animalistic gleam.

Unlike in any of my previous battles, I enjoyed this one. I reveled in delight as I killed...

With wild, glowing eyes I used a free second to check on the Narnian army. To my amusement, they had come to complete and total stop only a hundred feet away. Fauns gaped at the slaughter before them, centaurs viewed the violence grimly, cheetahs lowered their ears in grim respect for their brave dragon comrades, and High King Peter's eyes met mine.

They were full of relief, but also sadness.

I think it was his eyes that knocked some sense into me.

With disgust, I shook my head furiously. What the hell was wrong with me? I never thrived off killing, I was _not _a murderer! Why had I took so much pleasure with such vile violence? It was... It was **sick.**

_No it's not..._

"Holy shit!" I nearly fell off Redwens then. Now I was hearing voices? Just bloody fantastic.

_Hear their screams, taste their blood..._

I shot a fireball at a gargoyle, just as it managed to lift a sword as we flew past it. Wait... Maybe the voice was right. I mean, these bastards came here to kill me. They came here to kill everyone I loved and held dear.

_You hate them._

Do I? Y-Yes... I do.

_Enjoy their pain, thrive off their agony..._

"KAY!" Redwens snarled in frustration. Reality hit me hard in the face when I saw a giant swinging a humongous club down at us. Shoot! How the hell did I miss him approaching us?

The voice.

The voice had distracted me.

_No... Listen to me. You hate them. You want to watch them burn and scream-_

"SHUT UP!" I cried out in alarm. I panicked, I hadn't expected such insane words to effect me so much. As Redwens flew past an ogre, I snatched a spear out of the creature's grasp. As the giant's club hit the ground below, completely missing us, I aimed. Redwens circled the giant as we steadily rose in elevation. He fended of spectres with his fire and then I threw the spear.

The spiked point pierced and entered the giant's right eye. A sense of victory and satisfaction filled my chest. I beamed with pride. The giant man, a clumsy and slow being, howled in pain. He dropped the massive club, which he had begun to raise from the ground, and brought his hands to his face. Unfortunately for his comrades below, they found a giant club crashing down on them. When the giant began to sob, releasing salty tears down his face, I felt... guilty.

_No you don't. You enjoy seeing him pay. The fool tried to kill you and your dragon. He is the enemy- finish him off. Destroy him! Cut out his eye, slice off his arm... KILL HIM!_

Yes... He tried to kill Redwens, my dear friend. I would make him pay- Wait. The giant didn't know better, I argued. Giants were gentle, simple, and ignorant people. The Shadows must have manipulated them, I'm sure he didn't sincerely hate Narnia. I bet he is just a victim and-

_Then why did you smile?_

I didn't smile!

_You did. You were happy to see your spear slit his eye. You were proud._

No... It's you! You're doing this to me!

_It's you... I _am_ you._

"What's wrong with you?" Redwens snapped at me, "Wake up!"

Again, I felt like I was being pulled away from a daydream. I yelped and clutched my head, "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

"What-" Redwens glanced at me with wide eyes.

"GET OUT!" I wailed, "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYMORE OF YOUR LIES!"

"Kay-"

When the voice didn't reply, I hesitantly lowered my arms. "Oh Redwens... There was a voice in my head, whispering horrible things. It made me feel... feel like a monster."

"What? A voice? What do you-" Redwens growled, "Magic. It must be the Shadows."

"Watch out!" I barely managed to grab onto his torso again when the giant's arm swung for us. Redwens expertly glided under the attack before dramatically changing direction. We charged at the giant's neck and I winced when Redwens spat out a large blast of fire. The flames engulfed the giant's shirt and burned his neck. The smell of roasted skin entered my nose and I nearly gagged. The giant slowly began to fall backwards, causing werewolves and hags to cry out in alarm. Some of the monsters managed to clear the giant's body, others were crushed by him. The poor giant lay dead, bloody and burned.

As I surveyed his form, something flashed in the corner of my eye.

"DIVE!" I screamed and proving his total and unfaltering faith in me, Redwens did as I commanded. Good thing he did, otherwise we would have been cooked. An enormous and incredible discharge of fire had been aimed at us. "What the hell? What idiot of a dragon shot us by accident-" I began to rant angrily.

"It was no dragon," Redwens hissed in a voice full of fury and hate. He had turned us around and I followed his eyes.

A sadistic and ferocious attacker lowered her hand, which still steamed from the release of fire.

Me. Well, the Shadow me to be exact.

"Protect your wand," Redwens whispered to me. I nodded nervously, causing the other Makayla Steen to grin.

"Think you stand a chance child?" My voice teased.

My eyes widened, "You were in my head. You have my voice and so I just... I thought I had turned evil! You... bitch. Stay out of my head!"

The fraud tilted her head, giving her a false appearance of innocence. She was so clean, regal, and powerful. Her stance and aura made her authority obvious. I felt bewildered at our close proximity. For the first time in my life... I could see myself. Truly and openly see myself. Everyone viewed themselves in mirrors, on a daily basis even, but we saw ourselves differently from the way others viewed our bodies. Had I always been so... refined? Even though it was highly inappropriate, I couldn't help but laugh. It was ridiculous! I, the real Makayla Steen, looked an absolute mess with messy hair, blood stains, torn clothing, and furious eyes... And I was the good guy.

Why did the bad guy look so damn good? In the movies the heroes are always picture perfect, even after a big battle or adventure! I snorted, making the Shadow narrow her eyes at me.

"Why do you laugh human?" She demanded.

"I was just thinking," I said, completely losing my sanity for a moment. I just couldn't help it. The strangeness of the situation had finally hit me. "How much better things would be if my life was like a movie. I wouldn't have to deal with crap like you so often. I could finally just get my damn happy ending, you know?"

Redwens snorted in disbelief while the Shadow raised her hand.

"Enough of your nonsense," She hissed. "Die!"

And out came a gigantic release of fire. Never had I seen so much magic in one attack! The

flames made the temperature rise so much that steam rose from my skin. My wounds burned in irritation at the heat. Surely the attack would have killed me, but Redwens lifted us just above the blast with one powerful flap of his wings. I suppose powerful wings like that were a royal trait because only Tervian and Redwens had displayed such strength.

Just before we could make our next move, the unthinkable happened.

I was separated from Redwens.

A blast of dark energy had hit me square in the chest. My body froze, unable to move, and I fell silently from his back. I couldn't even blink, forcing myself to experience the horrible tumble. As I plummeted, I caught sight of Lady Niomee battling Redwens. He did his best to challenge her, but she was far too fast for him to fight but not kill. Poor Redwens knew he couldn't kill her, making the fight frustrating. She moved impossibly fast and easily evaded his tail and fire blasts. I wanted to cry out in warning when she threw darts of dark magic at him. I wanted to help him when the evil magic sliced through his scales, causing cascades of blood to fall from his large form.

Lady Niomee's dark magic seemed to take control of my body, but certainly didn't spare me any pain from the crash landing. My left arm gave a sickening 'crack' upon impact with the cracked dirt below and I would have shrieked anguish if possible. I landed on my side, my left arm breaking my fall and I could already see that the bone had broken. The limb was twisted at inhuman angle. I wanted to throw up. But I couldn't, I was still completely helpless. The Shadow Kay gracefully approached me with a pleased expression. As she arrived at my motionless body, she crouched and beamed, "Foolish little creature. Did you honestly think you could stop us? My brothers and I are rulers of our world and this _weak_ land never stood a chance."

I could only stare blankly at her. Not even my facial muscles could move, denying my desire to glare and spit on her.

"Where is your beloved lion?" She whispered cruelly before tapping my nose, "Silly human. Aslan will never know his Guardian failed. I killed him just as I will kill you-"

"DO NOT TOUCH HER!" A very familiar voice bellowed. Of course, I couldn't move to face my rescuer, but I didn't need to. I recognized Tervian's voice immediately. Boy, he sounded pissed off.

"Ah, if it isn't the lizard." The Shadow Kay stood up and to my dread, held my wand in her right hand. Crap. And she called the arrogant dragon prince a lizard. Double crap. Was she crazy? He was going to blow her head off-

"Drop the wand Shadow," Tervian was close, I could feel the steam blowing out of his mouth onto the back of my neck. Shadow Kay took several steps backward, but not out of fear. She needed to distance herself in order to properly use the wand to attack us both. Then I was shocked. Tervian hadn't said a word about the lizard comment. Instead, he continued to defend me. I guess I was right, the prince of black _does_ have a heart.

"If you surrender princeling," She spoke with a lovely smile, as if we sat around a table having tea, "And agree to serve us then we will allow dragons to live in our kingdom."

"Do not insult me."

Her smile turned into a snarl, "_You_ insult _me_ fool! How dare you choose this human over my offer! Her species is pathetic and weak. In this body I am limited and sluggish, it is vulnerable and easily harmed. But you my friend, you are magnificent. You are a breathing weapon and I suggest you accept my offer."

"She is my sister," Tervian growled so harshly that the ground trembled. My body only hurt more as it also suffered from his growl, as it agitated my twisted arm.

"I hear your thoughts," The Shadow inspected my wand casually. "I know your disdain for humans and Narnia. I feel your distrust and doubt... There is no need to pretend with me. I see your soul."

Don't listen to him! I wanted to call out to Tervian, but my voice failed. I wanted to warn the prince against the Shadow's deceiving, hypnotic words. Sadly, it seemed they were already influencing the dragon, because he didn't say anything in response.

"Ahhh yes," She raised an eyebrow, "I feel your desire for power."

Tervian snorted arrogantly.

"I can see it now... You were young and curious," The Shadow threw her back and laughed. It was an empty, insincere laugh. "And so you had the audacity to disobey your parents and explore. You flew far, the royal blood makes you stronger, until you arrived at the Lone Islands. And you so you encountered humans for the first time... They disgusted you. You witnessed their uncivilized behavior, like selling one another as slaves. They viewed one another as pieces of cattle, so it was all to easy to agree."

I listened in shock. So I hadn't been the first human to meet the dragons? What?

"They were frightened of you," The Shadow sniggered. "Typical, they are a skittish and useless species. So of course they tried to kill you. When you were pinned under many nets, yes I see it in now, your mother came didn't she? And as she freed you, they killed her. Yes, I feel your hate. You hate these humans... They murdered your mother. Hate them. Hate _her._"

In the name of Aslan... There were people still alive out in the Lone Islands? Even in this year of history in Narnia? Why hadn't the dragons told me of this? Why hadn't Wilesia informed me? Did she think that I already knew this? Oh and Tervian... No wonder he was so damn bitter and spiteful. No wonder he hated me from the start. My species had killed his mother, but it wasn't their fault. They were scared and didn't understand! The whole situation was a misunderstanding.

"Terv..." My voice was barely a whisper. It seemed that the dark magic was beginning to wear off. "N-No..."

The prince ignored me and exhaled some steam, "How do I know your word will be kept Shadow?"

Makayla sighed, "The fact that I have not killed you already should prove my trustworthiness."

"N-No..." I gasped, unable to move. It took a lot of effort to keep my lips working, but I couldn't let this happen. I couldn't let Tervian fall into their web of lies. "You.. my... b-brother... Redw-wens..."

Bugger, it really hurt to talk.

"No," Tervian's voice was loud and clear. Morosely, I gave up. He wouldn't even listen to me. He didn't care about whether or not Narnia survived this war. Tervian made his opinion obvious from the very start. He despised me and humans, his only concern was the safety of his people. I was stupid to have tried.

"Drop the wand."

Hope! Tervian hadn't given in!

"No then?" Makayla lifted the wand and glared, "Then burn, little lizard."

If I had thought her previous release of energy was strong, this attack was ridiculously powerful. Never had I thought it so plausible to concentrate that much fire into one release. Although it did not look like a lot of magic, it was. I could feel it in my veins as I readied myself for death. The amount of power, control, and energy focused into her attack put my magical abilities to shame. The flames came out in one single lightning strike. Yes, the fire had condensed so much that it had transformed into lightning. When the hell had that been possible? Obviously I had never _truly_ learned the limitations of fire.

So, I was going to die with my new awareness of my ignorance. Lovely way to go.

But the lightning never hit me, because Tervian turned sideways, to completely absorb the attack. The lightning exploded violently and I watched in both fascination and horror as my dear friend and fire brother was enveloped by a bright light. The strange beams made my eyes sting but I couldn't look away. After a few seconds though, the light died away and Tervian collapsed. There was no blood, no cuts, or signs of pain... He simply fell, motionless. His eyes were closed and my mouth let out a sob.

"M-Murderer," I cried.

Makayla gingerly poked Tervian's snout with the wand and grinned when she received no reaction. The great dragon prince had fallen. Stepping over his neck, she looked down at me, "Goodbye Guardian."

The last thing I saw was her swing the wand at me. Then, there was nothing.

* * *

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_What... What happened? Where was I? In the blink of an eye, I found myself in a completely different place. Darkness overwhelmed me and I shivered, realizing the only sounds came from my rugged breathing._

_"Crap," I threw my hands up when I recognized the setting. "Not again."_

_The world of nothing was fair too familiar now. Honestly, I had never wished to return to this place, but obviously Aslan, God, or whoever was in charge had other plans. Sitting down, I was pleased to find my arm perfectly healed and in place. Then, I froze._

_"Am I dead?" I groaned and held my head in my hands. "I can't be dead, I can't! Peter..."_

_I couldn't leave Peter again. We had plans, we had dreams, we had love._

_There was a voice, distant and faint. I tensed, "H-Hello? Anyone out there?"_

_Aslan's voice whispered into my ears, "I am coming Makayla."_

_My head snapped up, causing the tears that brimmed my eyes to finally spill over. "W-What?" I looked around but did not see the great lion. "Aslan, where are you?"_

_"I am on my way."_

_"Am I dead?" I murmured, afraid of the answer._

_He never answered, well in words at least._

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* * *

When I opened my eyes, I grinned. There, inches away from my eyes was grass. Despite the fact it was covered in blood, mine no doubt, it was beautiful and a welcome sight. Grass meant I was in Narnia. Being in Narnia meant I was alive! Cautiously, I tried to move and found my body responding. Without hinderance, I got to my feet and found my arm completely healed. I'd have to be sure to thank Aslan for that.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Peter's voice sent shock waves through me. Spinning on my heal, I was hit hard in the face by reality. There, not a dozen feet, were Peter and me fighting.

Okay, seriously, this was just plain _creepy._ No one should ever have to see the things I've witnessed. Watching the man you love trying to kill you from a third person perspective leads to major trauma, especially when he has actually killed you before. Talk about a complicated relationship.

The Shadow Kay danced around Peter, clearly toying with the High King. Her smug expression vanished when her eyes landed on me: standing furiously with fire growing from my hands.

"Get." I took a step forward. "Away." Another step. "From." A third step. "Him."

"Kay?" Peter gaped at me. "You're alive?"

"How-" Makayla closed her mouth and stared at me curiously. After a tense moment, she shrugged, "No matter, it seems I am unable to kill you in body. I am sure I can kill your heart though."

I narrowed my eyes, not liking the sound of that at all.

Before I could demand her to drop the wand, Makayla Steen did the most awful thing possible. Without warning, she sent the point of my wand straight through the chest of Peter Pevensie. The Shadow was right, she could kill my heart. She could kill Peter.

I was vaguely aware of my screaming, but everything seemed to ebb away. All I could see was Peter falling to his knees, sputtering. Then, he tipped over to the side. As his body hit the ground, he gurgled up some blood. How ironic. Once upon a time, a man murdered a woman. She died, came back, and watched herself kill him. But it wasn't actually her... Honestly, this was ridiculous. Why me? Why did I have to suffer like this? If he died now, I swore I would follow him into the afterlife, even if it meant by my own hand. Damn it, I wanted a _normal_ life. I wanted him. Shouldn't all stories that began with 'once upon a time' end with 'and they all lived happily ever after'? Even if the story was sick and twisted?

"Worthless," The Shadow sighed as she eyed Peter's dying body.

She had a wand, she had my body, and she had my voice. But she certainly did not have my spirit. What would the_ real_ Makayla Steen do in this sort of situation? What would any normal, high school teenage girl do if her boyfriend was threatened by another girl?

Start a bitch fight of course.

And that's exactly what I did. After everything that had happened to me- falling into Narnia, becoming a soldier, speaking to animals, fighting wars, and even dying... My spirit had never changed. None of that mattered now. I was exactly the same young woman I had been when I walked into the Pizza Parlor. I was Kay, I was Dolphin, I was _me._

The Shadow never saw it coming. Suddenly, my bare fist was in her face, breaking the human nose she possessed. Then my other fist blackened her right eye, ruining her vision. Fist after fist I beat myself up. Well, sorta. It took her several seconds to recover, and when she did, I found myself on my back. Although confined to a human body, the Shadow still had enhanced abilities.

Magic held no importance, knowledge didn't mean a thing, and not even brute strength held value in this fight. We were equal in those... It all came down to who had the stronger, most feisty spirt.

I took a solid punch to my cheek, but then kneed her in the stomach. Ribs cracked and as she gasped in pain, I reached out to yank her hair. Her hands swatted at my face, nails scratching and cutting skin. I didn't pay any attention though and threw her off me by her hair. Tumbling for several yards, the Shadow's body took a heavy battering. The wand fell out of her hand and landed a few feet away. We both stared at it for a moment, before launching into action. While she half dragged and half jumped towards it, I grabbed a weapon she had failed to notice.

As her fingers wrapped around the wand, Shadow Makayla let out the most ghastly shriek I have ever heard. The sound did not belong to a human- no it belonged to a creature of another world. This was the real voice of the Shadow, finally heard as it died. In the last seconds of its life, the Shadow gazed at the sword that protruded out of her chest.

"This sword killed that body once," I whispered, never letting go of Peter's sword, "It only seems fitting that it puts it back to rest."

And just like that, my revived dead body turned into ash. My wand dropped harmlessly to the ground below and I staggered backwards. "S-She's gone..." I clasped my forehead in shock. "It's over."

Two similar inhuman screeches filled the air at that moment. I looked in the distance to see Susan and Lady Niomee howling in the midst of battle. Somehow, they had felt the death of their fellow Shadow. I noticed how Redwens, Vicern, Edmund, and Caspian all tensed at the inhuman sounds. The band of young men (and dragon) had the two remaining Shadows surrounded. Obviously, they were trying to capture them without harming the real Niomee and Susan.

"K-Kay," A faint voice grumbled.

"PETER!" I dropped his sword without hesitation and dropped to his side. Blood oozed through his chain mail and leaked out of the corner of his mouth. "Don't you dare die on me. I won't stand for it!"

"But, y-you just... died," He joked weakly, eyes going towards the small pile of ash. "K-Kinda."

I didn't smile but began to cry. "Please don't. Don't leave me Peter, I need you. God, I need you."

"I-I love you," Peter gulped but then coughed, causing some more blood to escape his lips. "D-Don't forget that..."

"You're not going to die, so cut it out," I snapped. Then softened seeing him wince, "Please... Please hold on. Lucy will come, she'll save you."

"L-Look," Peter's eyes were somewhere behind me. Glancing over my shoulder, I watched without interest as Lady Niomee and Susan ran impossibly fast towards the mist for refuge. Their army was dead, finished off by the dragons and Narnian army (who obviously had joined at some point), and their fellow Shadow was dead. So, they ran, thinking the mist would guarantee escape.

I shook my head and looked back to Peter. Reaching out, I removed his helmet carefully and bent forward. Kissing his forehead I murmured, "It doesn't matter. He's coming and will take care of them."

"W-Who?"

"Aslan," I replied, stroking his hair lovingly. "Another reason to hold on. He'll be terribly disappointed if you give up."

Peter smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. My insides seemed to fall apart. Never had I seen Peter so... ghostly. It was like he was feinting away in my arms. I began to cry more loudly now. "I love you," I whispered over and over. "I love you. Don't leave me, I love you."

And just when Peter closed his eyes, unable to keep them open anymore, we heard the roar. Aslan's roar.

"He's here," I whispered with hope in my voice. Hope and desperation. "Peter he's here! Peter? PETER?!"

Peter had stopped breathing.

"LUCY! BRING ME LUCY!" Never had I screamed so viciously, so desperately. My throat stung but I kept on screaming. I couldn't stop, I never would, not until Peter was okay. "LUCY! SOMEONE HELP! LUCY!"

Miraculously, Lucy came. She seemed to appear like the angel she was. But my screams didn't stop, not even when a stranger's arms wrapped around, gently pulling me away from Peter. Through crazed eyes I watched a sniffling Lucy quickly tilt the bottle of elixir. A single, red drop dropped into the slightly open mouth of the High King. The worst moments of my life took place as I sat there, sobbing hysterically. We waited, but nothing happened.

My world came crashing down and I felt any bit of sanity I still had begin to deteriorate. Thank Aslan someone held me in place, otherwise I would have just fell limp on the grass.

Gone. Peter was gone.

"No..." Lucy spoke clearly. Her face was white and she stared at her eldest brother in shock, "H-He can't be dead. No!"

I had no words, only pain. Losing Peter far surpassed the agony of death.

"Wait," A masculine voice by my ear murmured. Duke, it was Duke who held me. "Look!"

My blurry vision saw nothing different. Peter was still dead.

"OH!" Lucy's gasped alarmed me. It was full of joy and so I begged my arm to move. Thankfully it did and slowly wiped away tears, clearing my vision drastically. I watched in enormous relief as Peter's chest lifted and fell steadily.

"H-He's breathing," I gasped for air. The emotional collapse and revival had took a toll on my bodily functions. I hadn't realized I wasn't breathing properly. But Peter's breathing seemed to put me back together. He always fixed me.

Peter's eyes flickered open and he groaned, "That was weird."

"PETER!" Lucy and I shouted at the same time. We both launched ourselves at the terribly confused and bewildered young man. Never had I been more glad to feel the warmth of his body.

He chucked before sobering up, "What happened?"

"Kayla killed Evil Bitchy Kayla," Duke said simply. Leave it to Duke to explain things so... nicely. I snorted at the former water polo captain. "Man, I thought you were a goner."

"Yeah, me too mate. Thanks Lu," Peter smiled at his younger sister before sighing deeply, "I never want to go through something like ever again." In his anxiety, Peter ran a hand through his dirty hair. Still, the motion made me squeal in excitement, relief, and joy.

Duke winced, "Dude, shut up. You sound like a little school girl with a silly crush."

I bent over and kissed Peter without a hint of shyness. Turning, I gave Duke a coy look, "I have a crush on him."

A familiar voice suddenly cut in. Snidely, the voice of an arrogant price spat, "Thank you for your concern. Stupid humans."

"TERV!?" I sprang to my feet and sprinted towards his moving body. "You're alive?!"

The prince gave me a dark look, "Obviously."

Ignoring his icy tone, I hugged his leg and laughed, "Thank goodness! Oh Tervian, I thought I'd lost you. I'm _so_ sorry to hear about your mother. If I had known then I wouldn't have been so rude and then maybe we could have had a better start? You know? And for you to jump in front of me like that... For the rest of my life I was going to carry around this guilt, knowing that you'd given your life for me and-"

"Silence," He huffed. "And get off my leg."

Sheepishly, stepped away, "How do you feel?"

"Like I'm on fire," Tervian grumbled, releasing a good load of steam. Then he twisted his neck so that he could look at the side where the lightning at him. His eyes narrowed, "Well, that's interesting."

"What?" Nervously, I stepped around his legs so that I could see too. "Whoa!"

Ever see those cars with a flame paint job? The design of a flame runs along the side of the car? Well, Tervian was the car. While he remained black, there was a streak of silver on his side now. It looked rather stylish really, but he didn't seem to think so.

"Look what you've done!" Tervian snapped at me.

I crossed my arms defensively, "Me? No one asked you to take the blow!"

"Now I'm disfigured!"

"Please!" I rolled my eyes, "Stop being such a drama queen. It's like a custom paint job, it looks great."

Silence.

"He has no idea what a paint job is," Duke noted with amusement. Tervian sent a death glare at him, too proud to admit this was the truth.

Lucy cleared her throat, ending our display of immaturity. "Look over there. Aslan is back!"

The rest of us all turned our heads.

Duke whistled. "The mist is gone."

He was right. Narnia had finally returned to normal, every bit of mist had burned. And so we had no trouble watching the scene. Lady Niomee and Susan stood back to back, facing their opponents on both sides. Susan found herself staring into the calm and collected eyes of Aslan. The presences of the great lion made me smile. He looked healthy and healed, none of the wounds or blood Edmund had described remained. Lady Niomee snarled in retaliation, making the males in front of her get into defensive stances.

Redwens waved his tail, as if to taunt Niomee into attempting to escape. To the dragon's right stood the brave and confident Kings Edmund and Caspian who held their swords at the ready. On the other side of Redwens stood the most regal and handsome of them all. King Vicern kept his bow and arrow locked on Niomee, but even from here I could see his eyes remained on Susan's body. The intense look of concentration mixed with love in his eyes touched me. It was the same look I had for Peter.

Then a strange voice came from Susan's mouth. It belonged to the Shadow obviously, because it was distinctly male. The language was unfamiliar but it seemed that Aslan understood perfectly well, because he lifted his lips. The canines of the lion came into view and gleamed in the sunlight. I guess the Shadow didn't have anything nice to say.

Aslan did not wait to hear the rest of what the Shadow had to say. Suddenly, he opened his mouth and released a ferocious roar. As the airwaves hit Susan and Niomee, the familiar dying shrieks of two Shadows made my ears ring in irritation. Then, silence fell. The shrieking abruptly ended just as the petite elf and young woman both fell to the ground, limp. Niomee and Susan appeared lifeless, but I didn't have time to inspect their bodies. Hovering over their still forms were two ghosts... Two shadows. They were plain and rather small, Redwens had to gaze down to see them. As the seconds passed by, the shadows decreased in tint and size. Soon, they disappeared, the last bits of their existence brown away by a gentle breeze.

"It's over..." A new voice whispered, in awe. I gazed to my left and smiled softly. There, standing with a camera securely in her hand, was Alyssa. At her side, as always, stood her beloved Will. He had a puzzled expression as he took in the events. Poor lad, he probably still didn't realize the gravity of the situation. Being thrown into another world did tend to mess up your sense of logic.

But what made my smile grow wasn't my mirth regarding Will. No, it was what lay behind the two humans. Gathering together, four kingdoms united as one. Telmarines patted the shoulders of fauns affectionately, centaurs bowed in respect to dragons, and elves embraced Telmarines. Every species, every culture, every living soul joined together. It didn't matter where you came from. Whether you had bunny ears, pointed ears, round ears, or no ears at all didn't mean anything. No one cared if you could breathe fire or not. Differences were put aside, grudges forgotten, and prejudices ignored.

One single thought filled my mind at that moment. I voiced it aloud in a soft murmur, "Finally Narnia is at peace."

"As are you," Aslan's voice replied gently. He trotted over to Peter's side and observed me with a strange twinkle in his eyes. "You are relieved."

I blinked, "Pardon me?"

"You have fulfilled your Guardian duties," Aslan opened his mouth slightly and breathed on my face. The warmth hit my face but rapidly spread to my neck, arms, chest, stomach, legs, and feet. Soon, my whole body tingled strangely. It didn't hurt but it brought no pleasure. Seconds later, it went away and I swayed in place. Duke's arms shot out and held me by my shoulders, steadying me.

I moaned, "I... I feel so tired."

"You have returned to your normal self," Aslan chuckled deeply. "With some sleep, you will feel better Makayla."

Damn it, I hated this part. I hated having to deal with the aches and exhaustion that followed battle. Adrenaline didn't keep me numb from these effects anymore. My sour expression remained, only worsening when Edmund joined our group with Lady Niomee in his arms. Her eyes were closed, but I was glad to see that she was breathing. Following behind Ed was a very solemn Vicern, who held his wife. Susan appeared well enough, there were no cuts or wounds visible. Though, her face did seem rather pale and sickly.

"Are they going to be okay?" Lucy asked Aslan, staring at her sister in distress.

Aslan didn't answer with words, something he did often I noticed, but with actions. As he did with me, he breathed onto the ladies' faces. Everyone kept their eyes set on the two limp forms but sure enough, Niomee and Susan began to stir.

Lady Niomee' spoke first, her eyes fluttering, "W-Who... Where?"

Her voice no longer sounded evil or full of hatred. Instead, it was smooth and silky, belonging to the real Niomee. The beautiful elf gaped at Edmund before gasping, "Beware! There's an evil spirit! It attacked me and-"

"We've killed it," Ed lowered Niomee onto the ground. He carefully allowed her to sit down, even offering his legs for her to lean against. Ah, Ed, always the gentleman. "Do you remember anything?"

Before Niomee could respond, a groan came from Susan. Her eyes slowly opened and she gazed up silently at her husband. When he smiled tentatively at her, she tiredly rested her forehead against his chest. "W-What happened? I feel bloody awful."

Oh, wow. Susan used the word bloody.

"You two don't remember anything?" Peter laughed in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

Niomee frowned at Peter, "What nonsense is this? Is this a joke? I demand that someone takes me to my father! He will not be pleased with such harassment-"

Duke slapped his forehead, "We went through all that crap just to save _her?_ I say the Shadow was an improvement!"

The gorgeous elf's face turned a bright shade of red, "Excuse me?"

"Yeah, I don't know you," Will spoke up. "And I already don't like you lady."

I swear, only my friends would say stuff like this in this sort of situation. Absolutely bonkers, the lot of them! Aslan's patience seemed to be wearing out thin as well, because the twinkle was gone. His expression blank but I doubted that a powerful being like him would stand for anymore banter.

However, Aslan didn't put a stop to it. Susan did when she lifted her head away from Vicern's chest and snapped, "Oh shut up. Now, what happened? What did I miss?"

Redwens, who hovered just behind Vicern lowered his neck so that his face came only inches away from Susan's. Her eyes went wide in horror at the sight of him.

Redwens giggled.

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Two days passed since the battle. The journey back to the Telmarine castle had only taken a little over an hour, because the dragons had kindly offered to carry us back. What a sight it had been! From where Peter and I sat on Redwens' back, I had to smile. To see Telmarines, elves, and humans alike riding dragons off into the sunset had been... magical.

To my complete shock, Tervian had offered his back to Caspian. The two leaders spoke in serious tones for the entire flight. Sadly, I found I could not eavesdrop. Without my Guardian powers, I was human... Weak and vulnerable. Still, I couldn't ask for anything else. Even though the danger had passed, my magic remained. Apparently, my magic wouldn't ever leave me again. I was glad though, because it was so much apart of my life. Magic kept my soul together and linked me to the dragons. I never wanted to lose it again. Just like I never wanted to lose Peter. Like my magic, he served as a vital part of my soul. And against all odds, I had come out of this war with both my magic and love. I guess this was the beginning of my happily ever after.

About time, jeez.

"Stop fantasizing and peel those potatoes," Alyssa slapped my cheek playfully.

I stuck my tongue out at her. Yes, I may have acted childishly, but I could not help myself. To be free of responsibilities, the depression of war, and my constant concern for Susan did wonders for my mood. I thrived on the thought of being a normal teenager again and so acts of childish antics slipped here and there.

We sat at a table in the kitchens of the Telmarine castle. Caspian had ordered for a massive feast to celebrate the deaths of the Shadows and start of a new age. Things looked bright for Narnia. With the varying kingdoms united and together, I knew that Caspian would improve life here. Now that the war was over, I finally had time for myself. I realized that I barely spent any time with Alyssa during this adventure and so I volunteered us to help with the feast's preparations. I knew the men would be helping chop wood or other masculine chores. Snort.

"You're just annoyed that Will isn't here," I teased.

Alyssa's cheeks burned, "I'm fine without him."

"Really? Because it always seems like the two of you are attached at the hip."

"Shut up Dolphin," Alyssa threw a piece of potato skin at me. In the past two days I had slept, ate, and slept some more. My body was still slightly sore so I barely managed to dodge the piece of food.

"No food fights," I warned. "Susan will kill me if I ruin this gown."

"I still think we should just wear our jeans," Alyssa shrugged. She wore a pretty purple dress, it flattered her and I'm sure that Will was going to melt tonight. We had not seen any of the fellows since breakfast this morning. After the meal, the women and men separated. I had no doubt that Peter and Edmund were probably setting up tables or lifting heavy items. Will and Duke were most likely running about the castle like children, trying to help but failing miserably. Susan and Lucy had gone out to the riverbank to decorate the tables and tents.

In order to accommodate the large number of guests and enormous dragons, Caspian had decided to have the feast outdoors. Just outside the city actually, right by the river that separated the once Telmarine land from the mysterious Narnian forest. Now... It was all just Narnia, one country.

"You look like a princess," I said thoughtfully. "Duke is probably going to make Will wear a tunic and a cape. Yes, they'll definitely have capes."

"Boys," My friend giggled. "Thank you, I feel like we've gone back into time. We're nobles of the court or whatever."

"Talk about culture change."

"You don't look like a princess."

It was my turn to through potato skin at her, which smacked her right on the nose. "Thanks a lot Alyssa, I appreciate it."

She scoffed and flicked the skin away, "I didn't meant it like that. I was going to add that it's because you look more like a queen."

That made any witty remark I had planned go down the drain. I stared at my friend, who shrugged, "What? That's what you are basically. All you have to do is put a ring on that finger and it'll be official. Everyone already calls you Queen Makayla anyways."

"D-Do they?" I gulped.

"Yup," She finished her last potato with a victorious grin. "I heard some servants talking about you."

"Great," I mumbled as I peeled my last potato as well. "More gossip."

"No, more like praise. They like you and were sighing dreamily over Peter..." Alyssa winked suggestively at me, "Be careful, he may get snatched away."

"As if I'd let that happen," I lifted the basket of potatoes and handed it to a passing servant. Without a task at hand, I glanced at a pot that hung on the wall a few feet away. I could see a rough reflection of my face and I grimaced. I lifted my arm and my fingers brushed over the many scratches and cuts on my face. "Alyssa, I'm so damn ugly."

"Nah, they'll go away. Who cares anyways? Everyone knows what you normally look like and it's not like you have anyone to impress. You've already got your Prince Charming," She paused and then burst out into laughter.

"What?" I eyed her warily.

"Do you remember the day this all began? The day of the water polo match?"

"Of course."

"Do you remember our conversation in the car?"

My insecurity turned into amusement. Leaning on the table, I nodded, "Like it was yesterday."

_"You're asking for a prince." Alyssa announced. "In case you haven't noticed Kay, they don't exactly exist anymore. Well there's Prince William and Prince Harry, but they're over in England. I mean, how many Princes do you see going around waving a sword around killing magical beasts?"_

"_I really hate that." I mumbled._

"_What?" She asked curious._

"_That there isn't a Prince Charming waiting for me."_

"_Oh, yeah, I got over that when I was twelve." Alyssa smiled sympathetically._

"You totally proved me wrong."

"I guess I did," I smiled. The two of us sat there, both lost in our own daydreams. While she thought about a certain boy named Will, I couldn't stop thinking about a man named Peter. Yes, a man. Peter was different to every other guy out there. How lucky was I to have a young man with the maturity of an adult? In fact, how did he even still love me? He had grown up, leaving me behind in a stage of adolescence. Shouldn't he love a woman? A woman who didn't stick her tongue out at people, who could cook and clean, who didn't use foul language? A real woman. But maybe my youthful antics were the very reason why he still loved me. Maybe I was his link to being young and childish, maybe I was a walking reminder of who he was. It didn't matter, he loved me and that's all I needed to know.

A hand tapped my shoulder. Jumping in fright, I turned to see a laughing Vicern.

"You're easy to scare now," The friendly elf remarked. Ever since Susan had woken up, the elvin king had returned to normal. One moment he's depressed and the next the happiest fellow around. I understood though because it was the same for me. While Peter was my mechanic, Susan was Vicern's. They fixed us, no matter how damaged we were.

To prove that he was in fact back to his goofy self, Vicern reached out and touched a rather nasty cut on my cheek. "Look Kay! We match!" He pointed to the scar on his face.

Alyssa coughed awkward, unsure of whether or not to laugh. She had always been a bit funny about Vicern's scar. I didn't blame her though. That scar ruined his perfection, well in superficial beauty at least, and served as a permanent reminder of Lady Marie's treachery. Every time I looked at Vi, I was reminded of one of the most horrifying experiences of my life: dying. The image of Peter stabbing his sword through me would flash in my eyes because of that scar.

And that was just me. I couldn't even fathom what that scar did to poor Susan.

I sniggered, "Nice joke Vi. It's good to have you back."

He kissed my cheek pleasantly, "Yes it is! Now, would you lovely ladies like to join the festivities? My bossy wife has ordered me to fetch you both."

"Hear that Alyssa?" I elbowed the elf roughly, "It's the Queen who controls the King!"

"Duh," Alyssa nodded in approval of this.

Vi groaned, "That was harsh darling."

I shrugged before putting my arm through his, "If you were in charge of things, we'd be doomed. Thank Aslan you found Susan, she keeps you in check."

Alyssa took hold of Vicern's other arm. She had become comfortable with this medieval custom, adapting much quicker than I had. The three of us skipped (literally) from the castle and to the outer wall of the city. My red dress was made of silk and reflected the moon's light. Alyssa wore a heavier gown as she did not have magic to keep her warm in the night air. Politely, Vicern offered her his cape, which she declined. Ah, she was always a stubborn one.

"WAIT!" She came to a halt.

"What?" Vicern and I said at the same time. Both of us raised an eyebrow at her.

"Twins," She muttered under her breath, "I swear. Anyways, stand right there. I want to get a picture."

Vicern scratched his forehead in confusion, "This 'picture' means painting a portrait of us with that... Hmm, what is it called again?"

"Camera," I answered scooting closer to him. Leaning my head on his shoulder I whispered, "Smile!"

A flash blinded me momentarily. Vicern cried out in alarm, "It tried to kill us!"

"Relax," Alyssa waved off his panic without much care. "The camera does that so we can see you in the portrait. The moonlight doesn't light you up enough."

"It's okay," I patted Vicern's back as he continued to shake. "It's okay... Shhh, hush puppy."

A unmistakable giggle made the three of us look up. Sure enough, Redwens landed gracefully besides our group. "Hello little ones!"

"Hi Redwens," Alyssa immediately began to pet the dragon lovingly. She was a sucker for his cute giggle.

Vicern saluted Redwens, "Hello!"

"Shouldn't you be with Tervian at the feast already?" I asked my winged friend.

He giggled, "Yes, but then I saw my favorite human in the whole wide world!"

"Damn it," Vicern joked. "That can't be me then."

"Me?" I grinned and climbed (yes I had to climb) onto his back. "Onward steed!"

Redwens snorted, spraying me in the face with steam. "I wasn't talking about you. I was referring to Alyssa."

Alyssa burst out into giggles and promptly climbed onto Redwens, pushed me off, and waved goodbye. Without further ado, the dragon and his favorite human took off into the night sky... Leaving a bewildered elf and me behind.

"If it's any consolation," Vicern said cheerfully, "You're _my_ favorite human."

I scoffed, "No I'm not. Susan is."

"Oh yeah," Vi tapped his chin thoughtfully. "You're right, she is. Fine, you're my _second_ favorite-"

"No matter what world I live in," I threw my hands up in exasperation. "I am completely surrounded by idiots!"

"Peter," Vicern called out to someone behind me. "Kay thinks you're an idiot."

Slowly, with a bright red face, I turned around. Walking towards us was a smirking Peter. He looked... Oh boy, I had no words to explain it. Maybe it was the moonlight, maybe the flash of the camera messed with my vision... But he seemed to glow.

"I'm an idiot?" Peter looked at me for confirmation.

I nodded and put on an uninterested expression, "And a fool."

"A fool in love," Peter said huskily taking me into his arms. Light kisses placed on my neck made me shiver in place. "Am I really an idiot?"

"Yes," I did my best to keep my voice from trembling, but failed. "A _handsome_ idiot though."

"Oh really?" Peter planted a kiss on my lips. "Well, I guess I'm an idiot for ever thinking you couldn't get any more beautiful."

"Prepare to become even more of an idiot then," I growled playfully.

Peter leaned in again, "I look forward to-"

"I'm going to find my wife before I throw up," Vicern strolled off.

We watched him go before laughing.

"When did you figure out I was putting on an act?" Peter wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we began to walk in the same direction. Vicern had vanished into the darkness of the night already.

"Right when you started to kiss my neck," I punched his in the chest. "You know I don't like being so... public."

"I know," He chuckled. "Did you see his face though?"

"I did," I sniggered. "You know, we make a great team."

"A good couple too," Peter said. "Marry me?"

I gave him a confused look "I thought I already answered that question."

"Tonight?"

"No I don't think I've answered it tonight," I answered, even more puzzled. "The last time you asked me was-"

Peter quickly kissed me and then pulled away, "No, I mean marry me tonight."

"Oh," I blinked.

"Oh?" He frowned.

"Oh!"

"Kay? We don't have to. We can always wait and-"

"No! I mean yes!" I fumbled for words in my exhilaration.

Peter ran his hand through his hair, "Alright. I'm confused."

"Yes," I took a deep breath, successfully calming myself. "As in yes, let's get married tonight."

"I hoped you'd say yes," He grinned. "I've already made preparations."

And so, I married Peter and became Makayla Pevensie.

The moment we had arrived at the feast, I quickly realized how serious Peter was. He really did make preparations. Redwens had been ordered to kidnap Alyssa, so she could take her place as a bridesmaid while Peter proposed- again. Susan had charged the head of servants to place Alyssa and I to work in the kitchens, far away from the wedding preparations. I never saw the white table clothes, white flower petals, white decorations in the day. I never saw Duke being fitted for a tunic fit for a King, as he had been asked by Peter to walk me down the aisle. I never saw Edmund setting up rows and rows of tables and chairs for guests. I never saw Tervian light the tents with floating flames that seemed to dance in place.

The ceremony was simple and short, much to my liking. Susan walked up the aisle with Vicern, Alyssa with Will, Lucy with the best man Edmund, and finally Duke with me. As he guided me towards the love of my life, Duke clutched onto my hand.

As we arrived at the end of the stroll, Duke leaned in and whispered, "I once told you that I would never let go... I was wrong to say that. Goodbye Kayla."

And let go of my hand, giving me to Peter. The gesture made me sniff back tears. I fought back the urge to cry, I didn't want to ruin my looks anymore. Unlike any other bride I'd seen, I wore a red dress, didn't have a speck of makeup on, wore boots, and had scrapes all over my face. But it was still perfect.

Peter knew me well and had avoided long speeches and vows. We simply said, "I love you" to one another and kissed as Caspian, the ruling royal, presided over the ceremony. With his authority, he deemed us man and wife.

Cheers. The cheers were so loud! It seemed that thousands had gathered in that field to witness the ceremony. I was both honored and embarrassed. As Peter and I sat down at the head table, the celebrations began. It was the best night of my life. I remained at Peter's side as we were showered with food, praise, gifts, and joy. It seemed that every two minutes Peter was kissing me and whispering, "My Queen." I don't think I've ever blushed so much before. We kissed, we danced, and most importantly, we lived.

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**Review Responses:**

**Chitown4183:** I think Alyssa stole Redwens from us : (

**1fanofthemarauders:** Hiya, thanks for reading! Yes, this is going to be the end. The conclusion will make a lot of sense, especially if you've read the Narnia book series... Stay tuned!

**Lil' Pirate Lass:** My lawyer has informed me that the restraining order you is now in place. JUST KIDDING. Hahaha, cancer in my earlobes via sneeze? Genius. Where do you come up with this stuff?

**Hopeyoudontmind:** Hey, glad to hear from you. Well, by the time you return home for good, this story will be complete. I have two more chapters planned but I might condense them into one. Not quite sure yet. I have debated on how to split Royal Findings up, but I don't have the time or incentive to rearrange everything this late into the process. You know? I'm lazy : )

**xXthenextbookwormXx:** Nooooo, I think we've lost Redwens to Alyssa! Oh well, there's always Tervian haha. And oh snap, I've never had to babysit a kid before, but that sounds horrible. I guess kids think they can go bonkers when their parents are gone. Little monsters...

**Dares to Dream:** It's okay, I like hearing about Redwens. He just makes me smile. And yeah... Hope you weren't readying your gun or machete when I "killed" Redwens earlier. Hahaha (That's a nervous laugh)

**Phil Archer:** Best review of all time, hands down. Thanks for the input, feedback, and opinion. I have two chapters planned but might condense them into one. Well, I hope that this was long enough for you. Hah, I actually split this into 2 chapters but was too lazy to upload twice. So, here is my longest chapter... I think? Oh well, I did attempt to make the transitions from battle to aftermath to wedding as smooth as possible. That's a major shift in mood and tone, but meh, I think I pulled it off!

And yes, I rather like Kay's character. I didn't plan on having her to be so headstrong and forward, but it happened. Sometimes it seems like the characters write themselves... As odd as that sounds. THANK YOU. I looked back at this crossover fanfiction I wrote when I as 14. God, it was horrible. The writing was awful, characters ridiculously unreal, and plot confusing. Sadly, I could only read a few chapters before I gave up. So for you to see improvement and notice is a great compliment.

**dancingquensillystring:** Thanks for the hunk of adjectives, much appreciated! :D

**ChaosHasCome:** What did you think of Tervian's back story? I think it does well to explain his attitude towards Kay and humans in general. He's bitter and yikes, he's sort of responsible for the death of his own mother. Let me know!


	54. Chapter 53

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**Chapter 53**

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This is the last chapter. (Epilogue doesn't really count, you'll see why.)

It has been a wonderful experience writing this story. I will sincerely miss Kay and hope that you, my dear readers, will always remember her.

_Now enjoy:_

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"Kay."

I ignored the voice.

"Kay," The voice made a noise of annoyance, "Wake up."

I pressed my face deeper into the pillow.

"Darling," A hand lightly massaged the back of my neck, "Don't you want to join your husband for breakfast?"

At the word 'husband' my eyes snapped open. Sitting up in a panic, I gasped, "What on earth are you talking about- Oh!"

The very handsome face of Peter Pevensie stared down at me with amusement, "You already forgot?"

My face burned with embarrassment and I brought my left hand to my face. The ring glittered in the sunlight that streamed into the room from the open veranda doors. A single, lovely sapphire sat on top of a simple silver band. Although some may have called my ring mundane, I thought it was beautiful and perfect. I had never been one for large, flashy jewelry. Peter knew me well.

"No," I grumbled, "I just thought it was all a dream..."

"What kind of dream?" Peter kissed my lips without warning and gently pulled me from the bed. "A nightmare?"

"A fantasy," I corrected with a grin. Waking up to Peter? I could get used to this. As I stood up, I glanced at his side of the bed, "What time did you get up?"

"Only an hour ago," He lifted a robe from the hanger in the wardrobe. Like the considerate man he was, Peter held it up so I only had to slip my arms in. I noticed he wore a robe as well. "Some maids brought up breakfast. It's out on the balcony."

I yawned and leaned into his chest, "Can't we go back to sleep?"

"I'd like to eat my food before it goes cold," Peter chuckled and began to lead us outside. The bright light irritated my eyes, but after a few seconds they adjusted. Our quarters had a lovely view. We could observe the entire capitol city with privacy and out in the distance was the river and forest.

Surprised at how high the sun shined, I inspected the food. "This doesn't look like breakfast, more like lunch. Who has beef for breakfast?"

"Well, we did sleep past breakfast and lunch," Peter pulled out my chair for me. After I sat and settled in, he claimed the chair across the small table. "Actually, I think most of the country missed breakfast and lunch."

I laughed, "Last night did get a bit wild."

Peter snorted, "No kidding."

After the formal meal and dancing, the celebrations became much more lively. The dancing transformed from strictly court music into local folk songs. Elves, Narnians, and Telmarines all performed their people's folk tunes much to my pleasure. At one point, Redwens, who was very drunk, began to sing. However, his horrible attempt ended abruptly when Tervian dangled another barrel of wine in front of his face. Enticed, the pathetic screeches from Redwens ended when he began to drink heavily. And Redwens was not alone in his drunkard state. Wine, ale, and spirits seemed to flow like rivers throughout the celebrations. Peter had only two goblets of wine and I just one. We refused to risk losing the precious memories of the night in order to have a hangover the next morning.

Alyssa, Will, and Duke were besides themselves though. Considering the fact that drinking at our age back in our world is illegal, they jumped at the chance to down as much alcohol as possible. Duke handled his drinks well, much to my surprise, and even managed to best the tipsy Edmund in a mock duel. Lucy, Susan, and Vicern watched their sibling and friends with much amusement.

By the time Peter and I were shown to our room, by a giggling and swaying servant, it was dawn. And we had been one of the first to leave the celebrations!

"Could you heat this up for me luv?"

Peter's voice brought me out of my reminiscing. My eyes focused back into reality and found a piece of meat being held up by a fork. My husband's face was hopeful, "It's gone a bit cold..."

"Sure," I smiled. Holding out my palm, a large flame appeared.

"Thank you," Peter proceeded to grill his beef. Once he had finished, we both returned to our meals. We ate in a comfortable silence and just as I set down my utensils, he spoke. "Do you think our kids will be able to do that?"

"Do what?" I raised an eyebrow. The mention of children didn't surprise me. I had already known that both Peter and I wanted children if we ever married.

"Sit around the table and casually heat up their dinner with their hands," Peter grinned. "Do you think your magic will be passed on?"

I tapped my chin, "I have no idea. I mean, there hasn't been another human witch right? Anything is possible."

"I suppose," Peter leaned back in his hair and stared out in the distance. The capitol was finally waking up. The usual noises of business, chatter, and crowds drifted up to the balcony. It was a bit unsettling to have limited hearing again. I rather enjoyed being able to hear the sound of a butterfly's wings or a children yawning from the homes below as they woke up.

But I didn't need to have super hearing to know someone was knocking on our door. Peter got up and strode inside, allowing me to remain seated. I smiled at his retreating form, very appreciative of my husband. He did little things like this that truly separated him from other men. No matter how small the task, he always attempted to spare me movement or unnecessary effort. It was like I was made of glass and he needed to protect me.

I heard Peter speaking to someone, but didn't make any effort to actually listen in. Several minutes later, Peter came back outside. Instead of sitting down, he walked behind me and leaned forward. Wrapping his arms around my shoulders, Peter inhaled deeply in the crane of my neck.

"Aslan, you smell like heaven."

I tried to remain calm, but my body trembled in pleasure anyways. The feeling of his breath on my skin was powerful. And the compliment only worsened my attempt to remain cool. "Y-You," I struggled to speak clearly, "You don't know what heaven smells like."

He said nothing.

Fear crept into my heart. My previous nerves vanished and I spun around in my chair, so this his arms fell limp. "Peter?"

"Let's go inside," Peter's voice was wary. "That was Ed, he came to tell us that Aslan's asked to see us. We need to get dressed."

"Peter," I crossed my arms stubbornly. "What's going on? Stop trying to distract me."

"Inside," He pleaded.

"Fine."

We returned to the room and I withdrew our clothes from the wardrobe. I placed Peter's fine tunic on the bed as he slipped off his robe revealing his muscular chest. I had discovered last night that he usually wore only his undershorts to bed. Considering this was our first morning together, I still couldn't help but redden as his exposed skin.

_Mine._

The concept of him belonging to me brought an indescribable sensation of happiness to me. It didn't overwhelm me this morning, because now I was worried. As I pulled out a light blue dress from the wardrobe, I asked, "What's the matter?"

"Do you remember my first words?"

I frowned as I untied my robe. "Uh, what do you mean? When?"

"On the battlefield," He murmured as he began to change swiftly into the tunic. "After Lu saved me."

Immediately, my stomach tightened. Where was he going with this? If it had to do with his close encounter with death, I didn't know if I wanted to have this conversation. It frightened me to think about his limp body. I knew the experience would haunt me for the rest of my life. Realizing that this was going to be a serious conversation, I sat on the bed and watched him pull nervously adjust his clothing.

"You said 'that was weird' I think," I answered quietly.

Peter sighed and joined me on the edge of the bed. Instinctively, I moved my arm closer to his body while he reached out for my hand. Once our fingers were intertwined, Peter watched our united hands with a strange expression.

"I've died once before," He began. "But in spirit and heart, not in body. I never thought anything would hurt as much as that part of my life. It was after Marie controlled me into killing you. When I finally woke up, I fell apart. Kay, I died on the inside and I until a few days ago, nothing else had ever compared to that sort of pain."

"And then you thought you saw me die again," I whispered. Peter must have been beside himself to see the Shadow Kay 'kill' me with the wand.

He nodded stiffly, "I lost it. All I could see was the Shadow and hate filled me up. So when I saw you were alive, I couldn't think straight. It was too much to go from completely broken to ecstatic in less than a minute and so I managed to get myself stabbed. I was distracted and I'm sorry."

"Sorry? You have nothing to be sorry for! You couldn't have stopped the attack-"

"I'm sorry that I had to put you through what I endured all those years ago," Peter's thumb rubbed against the side of my hand. "No one should have to see their love die like that."

"Yeah..." I mumbled, completely agreeing.

"Well, when I nearly died I went to this strange world... So beautiful..." Peter's voice trailed off. After a few moments of silence, he cleared his throat and continued, "I don't know how to describe it. The grass, I've never seen such green grass! The trees seemed to glow and whisper to me."

"It sounds like the Land of the Dead," I whispered, horrified. "Vicern told me about it."

"That's what I thought too," My husband nodded. "Which is why I refused to cross the river."

"There was a river?"

"There was a bridge and it was almost like..." Peter struggled for words. "Like the trees were asking me to cross. The beauty, the glowing, everything seemed to pull me towards the other side of that bridge. But then I heard your crying."

I could only stare in disbelief.

"And I knew I couldn't cross," He inhaled deeply. "I knew that if I did, I would die and leave you behind. So I waited and sure enough the world vanished away. Next thing I knew, I was back at the battlefield."

"Wow," I pinched the bridge of my nose, "We have far too much drama and encounters with death to be considered normal."

"Darling, we travel worlds. We never had a chance at being normal."

"Oh yeah, good point."

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"There they are!" Duke waved from where he sat. He was currently engaged in a game of chess with Edmund. As we approached, I was shocked to see Duke was winning.

"Ed, you're losing?" Peter sounded surprised as well.

His younger brother glowered, "Oh shut it."

I laughed, "I don't think anyone has ever beat you."

Duke leaned back cockily in his seat, "I'm incredible. I know."

"Shut up man," Will rolled his eyes. Will sat in an armchair with Alyssa on his lap. She continued to read the book in her hands, clearly uninterested with the rest of the world. Despite her social nature, Alyssa really could be a nerd.

"Where's Aslan?" I asked, still laughing.

"Gone outside with Susan and Vicern," Ed answered. "He's asked to see you four privately."

Lucy walked into the room from an open doorway on the other side of the room. She was carrying a basket of fruit and kindly offered some to everyone. "What does Aslan want? Why can't we be there?"

"I'm not sure Lu," Peter replied honestly. "We don't mean to exclude you. I'm sure Aslan has his reasons."

"Come on," I pulled lightly on Peter's sleeve. We waved goodbye to everyone before exiting through another door. This one led outside, to some private gardens only open to the ruling King or Queen. Of course, Caspian had offered all his private rooms and gardens to us. He was nearly as kind as Lucy in my opinion.

Sitting on a bench were Susan and Vicern. Their faces were grim, setting off alarms in my head. Seated on the grass before them was an equally grave Aslan. I glanced at Peter and saw that he too had noticed something was wrong.

"What's going on?" I inquired as we approached the group. Upon seeing our arrival, Vicern politely got up from the bench and offered the seat. Nodding in thanks, I sat down besides Susan. She reached out and took my hand. That made me even more nervous.

Aslan waited patiently as Susan began to explain, "We can't come back to Narnia ever again..."

My mouth fell open.

Peter ran a hand through his hair, "What? Why not?"

"You have learned everything you can from Narnia," Aslan spoke calmly. "There is something else for me to teach. And Makayla, you have fulfilled your Guardian duties, you are free from this world."

"B-But," I tightened my hold on Susan's hand. "What about the others? What about Caspian and- WAIT!" I pointed desperately to Vicern, "What do you mean we can't return? This is Vicern's home!"

"I have been given a choice," Vicern spoke without hesitation. He kept his eyes trained on Susan, "I can either remain here until I die, helping to rebuild the Elvin civilization. Or I can go with Susan to her world and live a new life there."

"A choice?" I whispered, "And you've decided..."

Vicern kept his eyes on his wife, who looked down in shame. "I would never leave Susan's side. _Never._"

"But what about your people?" Susan's eyes snapped up. "You can't abandon them-"

"Yes he can," I cut her off. "He loves you. He has to."

"What about Kay?" Peter asked Aslan, his voice cracking slightly. I froze at the question. Yes... What about me? What would happen to me? What would happen to Peter? We were married like Vicern and Susan. We were in love like Vicern and Susan. Would we receive the same options? Would I really leave behind my home world for Peter?

Yes.

The answer came without hesitation or doubt. Of course I would leave for Peter. I would follow him anywhere, any world or time. My parents wanted me to be happy and that would mean to remain with Peter. My friends would understand, they had now seen for themselves how deeply and truly Peter loved me. My family and friends loved me... And so they would let me go. I knew they would.

"She knows what she must do," Aslan smiled sadly at me.

I stared into his eyes. The great lion could read minds apparently. Slowly, I nodded, "I do."

"Kay..." Peter reached out and placed a hand on my shoulder, "Are you sure?"

"Peter, my family will understand," I murmured.

"What if I went to her world instead?" Peter started to plead with Aslan. "That way she wouldn't have to leave her family-"

"And you would leave yours?" I argued. "No, you have more people counting on you. Your father is back from war, but he's still hurting from it. Emotionally, he's distant. Your family _needs_ you Peter. Your mother relies on you. You can't leave them all behind!"

"But you can leave yours behind?" Peter snorted.

"My parents were ready to live alone, I was going to college remember? And my sister is already an adult, she'll be fine without me," I shrugged.

"But-"

I raised my hand, "Please, don't. I'm okay with this Peter, I really am. As long as I have you, I'll be okay."

"The time to leave Narnia is approaching," Aslan spoke up. "Make your preparations."

"What will happen after we leave?" Vicern asked.

"Caspian will be a strong leader," Aslan said confidently. "Narnia will have its second Golden Age."

"What will happen when I don't go home?" I asked hoarsely. "Will they even remember me?" Tears fell out of my eyes.

"You will be forgotten by everyone who does not know of Narnia," The lion informed me. "It is easier this way."

"So my parents and friends will remember me?"

"Yes."

I paused then asked, "Will I ever see them again?"

At this, Aslan smiled sincerely. "Yes... When the time comes, yes."

In the land of the dead.

I didn't know how I came to this conclusion, but something inside of me told me this was true. One day, when we all passed on to the next world, we would reunite. And that settled all distress I felt in my heart. I was at peace with this... I could live a long happy life with Peter and when the time came, live another with my family, friends, and love. I would even get to see Stilden and everyone again.

Suddenly, I wasn't afraid of dying. One day, it would happen, and I would welcome it.

"When?" Susan bit her lip, "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow."

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"Dude, what's up?" Duke poked me.

I sighed, "I love you Duke."

My friend grinned, "I knew you would finally realize it one day. Too bad you're married, I don't do rings."

Rolling my eyes, I replied, "And I don't do idiots."

"Ouch," Will sniggered.

"I love you too Will," I said seriously.

Alyssa frowned, "Okay, now you're scaring me. What's going on Kay? Why did you ask us to meet you here?"

I had requested their company after dinner. I had spent the entire afternoon in my room, writing furiously. Now, with cramping hands I sought out to spend precious time with my friends. I didn't want to tell them about my decision to leave home though. If I did, it meant spending our last evening and possibly day arguing. I wanted to leave with happy memories, not fighting.

"You've been the greatest best friend ever," I hugged Alyssa. "I love you!"

"She's lost it," Duke announced. "I guess fighting so many wars has finally caught up with her."

"Actually," I lied smoothly, "It's because of the war I'm saying this. It made me realize how we could lose each other within a second in battle, in life actually. And so I just wanted you guys to know that I love you and you are very dear to me."

Will gave me a funny look, "Are you lying?"

I raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

"I asked if you were lying."

My eyes narrowed into a lethal glare.

Will paled, "Uh, never mind."

"Sissy," Duke laughed out loud.

"He is not!" Alyssa threw a flower at Duke. It hit him softly on the side of the face, but the young man didn't even blink.

"You have the guy wrapped around your finger!" Duke exclaimed, "He needs to grow some balls-"

"WHAT?!" Will threw himself at the older modern man. The two wrestled on the cool grass below while Alyssa screamed at them to stop their stupidity.

"Take it back!"

"Oof!" Duke gasped for air when Will's fist collided with his stomach. "No way!"

"You're the fruitcake here!"

"At least my girlfriend doesn't boss me around!"

"At least I have a girlfriend!"

Alyssa threw more flowers at the two of them while shouting, "Grow up! God how stupid are you two? What the hell is your problem Duke? Leave Will alone! And Will, just ignore the retard. No one cares..."

My eyes watered in the moonlight as I watched my three closes friends. I would miss this. I would miss their immaturity. I miss would miss their laughter and anger. I would miss their company. Most of all, I would miss their love.

"Kayla?" Duke's voice was laced with concern. Will and Duke both ceased their wrestles as they stared up at me in uncertainty. "Babe, what's wrong?"

Will got off Duke and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "We were just kidding. We weren't really fighting."

"Why are you crying?" Alyssa approached me quickly and wrapped her arms around me.

I hastily wiped the tears away and waved her off. "Sorry, I just needed to sneeze."

"Bull," Duke immediately retorted.

"Lies!" Will pointed accusingly at me.

"Yeah right," Alyssa rolled her eyes.

I did my best to appear amused, but really I was surprised. Was I really that easy to read? Then again, they did know me quite well. But was I that bad of a liar? Scoffing, I crossed my arms defensively, "What? Now I'm not allowed to sneeze?"

"We'll pretend we believe you," Alyssa shrugged. "But you've been acting funny all day. We've got our eyes on you."

"For sure," Will agreed.

Duke remained silent, but I could feel his eyes burning through my very soul. I winced.

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At breakfast, Aslan came for us. I had just finished my bowl of porridge when the lion strolled into the great hall. Everyone continued chatting and laughing, completely oblivious to what was about to happen... Everyone except for Peter, Susan, Vicern, and I. The four of us shut our mouths and exchanged sad looks. I felt my stomach drop and suddenly wished I hadn't eaten. I felt like throwing up.

"Please join me outside to the courtyard in the city," Aslan said pleasantly. "The Telmarines have gathered at my request and are waiting."

Everyone (except for a certain four people) glanced at Caspian. The Narnian king sighed, "We planned to give the Telmarine people a choice. Come, let us join them outside."

Chairs scraped against the stone floor noisily. I moved like a zombie, completely out of it. I couldn't believe it. It was happening. My hands tightened around the small shoulder bag I carried. At least Aslan had given us a fair warning.

Peter walked at my side, the two of us didn't speak. I was too busy trying to focus on remaining strong, otherwise I would have broken down, sobbing. I felt numb and confused.

Could I really go through with this? Could I really abandon my family and friends? My parents were sweet, caring people. They didn't deserve this. They had treated me with love and respect all my life... They were the best parents in the world. And my sister, she was just as lovely as our folks. She had been a wonderful role model as we grew up. She had taught me that anything was possible and most importantly, to follow your heart. She had tossed aside an academic scholarship to become a doctor in order to pursue a career in dance...

Follow your heart.

Well, my heart was currently inside a man named Peter Pevensie. He had taken it the moment we had met. Peter had my heart... And I intended to follow it. I would follow him. I would follow my husband.

As we came out into the sunlight, I was taken aback at the crowd. So many people had crowded into the streets! People peered out of windows and balconies, all chattering away. I noticed that while the majority of the group were Telmarines, there were many Narnians, elves, and dragons too. At the arrival of us royals though, a hush fell over the large crowd.

A group of familiar faces already stood on the raised platform before the crowd. I managed to give Trumpkin, Repisheep, and Badger a weak smile. But I didn't need to greet the two dragons. Tervian and Redwens were talking in low voices besides a large, gorgeous tree. They hadn't raised their heads to see us arrive, something that confused me. But I didn't have the energy or mood to linger on this.

"Narnia belongs to the Narnians and dragons as it does to man!" Caspian declared to the crowd with confidence. "The Telmarines who want to stay and live in peace are welcome to. But for any of you who wish, Aslan will return you to the land of our forefathers."

A man from the crowd cried, "It's been generations since we left Telma!"

Aslan responded, "We're not referring to Telma. Your ancestors were seafaring brigands, pirates, run aground on an island. There they found a cave, a rare chasm which brought them here from their world... The same world of our Queens and Kings. It is a good place for any who wish to make a new start."

Peter and I exchanged bewildered looks. The Telmarines were from our world?!

Caspian leaned towards me and whispered, "I guess we are from the 'Spain' which you speak of."

I could only nod stupidly.

"I will go," A voice announced. I recognized the man a moment later. It was the Telmarine general, the same very man who had fought me in battle. He gave Caspian a nod of respect, signaling peace.

A familiar woman besides him stepped forward with a baby in her arms. Another man, one I did not know, followed her.

"Lady Miraz?" Duke murmured in surprise. "Damn, she's got dignity."

Aslan took this all in stride of course. "Because you have spoken first, your future in that world will be good." Opening his mouth, he gently released a soft, magical breath of the group of Telmarines. Then, a strange sound came from behind me. Turning, I gasped to see the tree splitting apart.

"Whoa!" Alyssa covered her mouth in horror, thinking the tree was dying. But to our relief, it merely spread into two thinner trunks. A sort of door was formed. Ah, how I will miss magic!

Without needing directions, the band of brave Telmarines stepped through the space... And disappeared. Suddenly, I knew that this was how I would leave Narnia. We would go through the tree too.

Angry voices came from the crowd.

"Where'd they go?!"

"He killed them!"

"How do you know that he is not leading us to our death?"

Repisheep bowed to Aslan and said without fear, "Sire? If my example can be of any service, I will take eleven mice through with no delay."

And then, to my dismay, Aslan looked at us. He looked at four of us to be exact.

Peter straightened up, "We'll go."

Edmund gave his brother a wary look, "We will?"

"Come on, time's up," Peter said. "After all, we're not really needed here after all."

Suddenly, Peter left my side and strode towards Caspian. Withdrawing his sword, he handed the legendary weapon to the newest Narnian king. I smiled at the gesture... I really had married a good man.

"I will look after it until you return," Caspian promised.

"That's just it," Susan spoke up. "We're not coming back."

A stunned silence ensued.

"We're not?" Lu sounded devastated.

"You two are," Peter motioned towards his younger siblings. "At least, I think he means you two."

"But why?" Lucy cried to Aslan. "Did they do something wrong?"

"Quite the opposite dear one, but all things have their time. They have learned what they can from this world. Now, it's time for them to live on their own."

"It's alright Lu," Peter spoke soothingly to the distraught young girl. "It's not how I thought it would be, but it's alright. One day, you'll see too. Come on."

Lucy shook her hear furiously, "No! We can't leave! How can you be okay with this? You can't leave Kay again!"

Peter looked expectedly at me. I cleared my throat, "Well, uh, I'll actually be coming with you Lu."

"WHAT THE HELL?" Duke's voice screeched.

"NO WAY!" Will gaped at me, as if I were insane.

"ARE YOU NUTS?" Alyssa threw my arms up.

I winced at their outbursts, "Guys..."

"You're not going with them," Duke closed the space between us and grabbed me roughly by the shoulders. "I made a promise to your father to bring you back. I intend to keep it."

"I'll see him again," I sniffed back tears. "I'll see you all again."

"Oh really?" Alyssa snapped, "It'll be 40 years for you until we're born. And then you'll have to wait another decade until you can talk to us! Sorry, but I really don't feel comfortable calling some old granny my best friend and water polo captain."

"You'll be older than your parents," Will shivered. "Gross."

I ignored them and shrugged off my shoulder bag. Pulling away from Duke, I held out the bag. "Take this."

"No," He growled. "You're coming home with us."

"Duke," I smiled. "I'll see you again... I promise. But I need you to promise me something, okay? There are letters inside this and I need you to deliver them. My parents need to read them... I need to say goodbye to them."

"But-" Alyssa began.

"Don't," I cut her off. "Don't argue with me. I've made my decision and no matter what you say will change it. I love Peter, he's my husband. I can't let him go again... I can't survive a second time."

At that, the three of my friends all gave up. I think the memory of me being nothing but an empty shell after I returned from Narnia the first time, after my death, made them accept my leaving. They didn't want to see me in so much pain again.

"I love you," I whispered urgently as I embraced Alyssa. "Take care of yourself."

"Okay," She started to weep.

As I hugged Will I murmured, "Take care of my girl. Don't let her go."

"Alright," Will nodded.

And then it was time to say goodbye to Duke. He was staring at the ground, looking completely lost. As I wrapped my arms around him, he remained still. "Don't be angry," I pleaded. "Please, don't be angry. Just understand-"

"I do," Duke slowly returned my embrace. "You love him... I get it, I really do."

"You're going to find an incredible woman," I told him seriously. "Someone who makes smile and heart pound just by walking into the room... You're going to find love, I know it. I can just feel it in my bones."

"There's no one like you Kayla," Duke kissed my forehead.

"You're right," I told him. "There's someone better."

And with that, I retreated away from my friends. I retreated from my life of modern technology, high school, American culture, and loving family. I left my old life and began my new one.

Slipping my hand into Peter's, I whispered, "I'm ready."

My husband nodded. Together, we stepped through the doorway.


	55. Epilogue

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**Epilogue**

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Perfect timing really. I leave tomorrow for university.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed Chapter 52. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to reply like I have been these last several chapters...

I have loved every moment of writing. I don't know how to explain how honored and grateful I am to have you reading this. Thank you. Just... thank you.

**REVIEW. **Let's have Royal Findings go out with a HUGE bang! WOO!

If you read the books, you will understand this ending.

_Now enjoy:_

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Four years.

Four whole years had passed since that day. Duke could believe how quickly time had flown by. It only seemed like yesterday he had held her in his arms. As pathetic as it may sound, he still could smell the scent of her hair... the soft touch of her skin... the sparks of passion in her eyes.

Duke sighed deeply as he knocked on the wooden door. He only had to wait a few seconds before a smiling woman opened the door and hugged him.

"It's good to see you," Mrs. Steen said shakily. She was always an emotional wreck on this day. Duke winced slightly when he felt the woman's body tremble slightly as she began to cry.

He gently rubbed her back. In a soft voice he murmured, "I miss her too."

Mrs. Steen stepped away and back into the hallway of her home. Sheepishly, she wiped at her eyes, "Oh! Look at me! Come on in, sorry dear, I didn't mean to cry on you."

"It's alright," Duke said sincerely. A lot had changed in the past fours years, including himself. He'd matured and grew... But this house hadn't changed he'd noticed. They walked down the hallway into the kitchen. Duke knew this house intimately and scanned the familiar family photos on the wall. On either side of him, pictures of her surrounded him. Her striking smile sent butterflies into his stomach and bright eyes made his stomach clench. Ignoring these feelings, he spoke cheerily, "I brought some milk over. Mr. Steen said you'd needed some when we talked yesterday."

"When will you call us by our first names?" Mr. Steen closed the refridgerator to hug the young man. "You're family Duke, you're like a son."

"Don't let Dopey hear that," Duke laughed. "I swear, that dog thinks I'm replacing him in your hearts or something."

"Look at him," Mrs. Steen elbowed her husband. "Duke! You're so handsome, when did you grow up?"

"Not sure," Duke replied, accustomed to their affection and comments. Opening the fridge, he placed the carton of milk inside. "Has Alyssa arrived?"

"She's waiting for Will at the airport and they'll catch a taxi together," Mr. Steen answered. "Honestly, she should have just had us pick them up! That stubborn woman!"

"She's probably just excited to see Will again," Duke spoke as the three of them moved into the living room. Falling onto his normal spot on the couch, Duke kicked off his shoes. "He had a business trip to Scotland again. She's missed him these past two weeks."

"Well, I'm sure law school keeps her busy," Mrs. Steen mused. "Have they set a wedding date?"

"Not yet."

A comfortable silence fell. Then, Mr. Steen motioned towards the laptop on the table. "I watched her videos this morning."

Duke nodded, not surprised by this. Ever since the Steens had learned that their youngest daughter wasn't coming home, they'd become obsessed with the laptop videos. For hours they could sit and watch their child speak, laugh, and cry as she relayed her adventures in Narnia. It had been a blessing that she had possessed the sense to record herself all those years ago.

"Have you had any word back from the detective?" Duke questioned the man whom he had grown to view as a second father.

Mr. Steen gave his wife an uneasy look, "Erm, yes. We heard back a few days ago, but wanted to wait until you were back in town for today to tell you. We wanted to tell you in person."

"He found her?" Duke blinked.

Mrs. Steen nodded and her voice cracked as she spoke, "Y-Yes... He found Kay."

Several months ago, Duke had grown tired of waiting for Kayla to visit and so suggested that they look for her. Everyone had waited eagerly for any word from her. She would be elderly and old by now, but they didn't care. No one cared about her age. But as the days turned into weeks... months... years it had become clear that Kay wasn't going to write or visit.

Which meant something was wrong. Kayla would have reached out, of this Duke was positive. She loved her family and friends. She knew that he loved her. She wouldn't keep quiet, not when they were only across the ocean! But they'd heard nothing. And so, the Steens had hired a detective, Mr. Henderson, to look for any records regarded a British citizen in the 40's named Makayla Pevensie.

"Well?" Duke clasped his hands anxiously, "What'd he find?"

"She..." Mrs. Steen took a deep breath to steady herself, "Died."

Duke's world came crashing down. "W-What?"

"In a train crash," Kayla's father spoke quietly. "It was a freak accident but... it's strange. They all died, many years ago."

"Who?" Duke's voice had gone hoarse and his head hurt. Dead? How could she be dead?

"Everyone," The elder man whispered. "They were all on the train. Kay, Peter, Edmund, Lucy, Susan, Vicern, and even their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Pevensie! They were in different compartments, Henderson found an old newspaper clip about it. The papers wrote it as a tragic accident and how it appeared that a group of relatives had died without knowing they were all on the same train."

"Some cousin named Eustace was with them," Mrs. Steen added dismally. "They all died."

"I-It..." Duke fumbled for words. "That has to mean something. There's no way they'd all end up on the train like that. Aslan! Aslan had something to do with it!"

"Duke," Mr. Steen stared at the young man. "There's something else."

"What?" Duke let his head fall, "What else could there possibly be?"

"Kay and Peter... had a child."

Before Duke could reply, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," He muttered, anxious to get away from the room. It seemed like that all bad or crazy news came in that room. In the hallway, Duke thumped his head against the wall in frustration.

She had been a mother.

His childish, fun friend had become a mother. She had transformed into a woman. She had grown up... without him. Forcing himself to calm down, Duke walked to the front door and opened it.

"Alyssa, you're not going to believe this..." Duke frowned at the young woman who stood on the front porch. "You're not Alyssa."

The stranger was beautiful. In the last moments of sunlight, her brown hair shined and light skin glowed. But it was the young woman's eyes that sealed his fate. The unmistakable blue eyes of Kayla stared at him.

Before he knew it, a smile had crept onto his face. The delusion that Kayla had returned came to him. But then, he realized, that couldn't be true. No, this was someone new... And suddenly, the charming and slick Duke felt nervous. His heart began to beat rapidly with anxiety.

"Erm, hello." The woman laughed awkwardly.

Alarmed at his unusual reaction- Duke didn't lose his cool to pretty girls- he snapped, "Who the hell are you?"

"Uh... I do apologize, but may I come in?"

She was British.

"Did Henderson hire you?" Duke growled. "Is this his idea of a joke? It's sick! Can't he leave the memory of dead girl alone? Does he find hiring a look-a-like funny?"

"Pardon me?" The girl frowned.

"Duke?" Mrs. Steen appeared at his side and gasped when she saw the young lady. "Oh! W-Who...?"

"Duke Steelings?" The stranger questioned, sounding excited.

"Yeah, who's asking?"

"I'm Amy Pevensie," The young woman replied, a bit more shyly now. "And I have a letter here, written by my grandmother back in the 50's. I found it up in the attic, it's addressed to you."

"Huh?" Duke said stupidly.

"Come in," Mrs. Steen shoved the stunned young man to the side and ushered the stranger inside. "Amy is it?"

"Yes, who are-"

"Mrs. Steen and this is my husband. Can we see this letter? Please?"

"Sure," Amy withdrew an old and wrinkled letter from her coat pocket. She held it out to the older woman, but Duke snatched it out of her hands.

"You said it's addressed to me right?" He muttered. "This is ridiculous, it has to be a joke."

Awkwardly, Amy sat down on the couch. "I know it sounds nuts... But I swear, I was cleaning out my mother's attic, she's not feeling too well at the moment, and I came across this box. It was a box full of pictures of my grandmother and grandfather. I even sound some baby pictures of dad, but then I found some letters. One was addressed to 'A living Pevensie descendant' and so I opened it."

Duke gave the foreigner a doubtful look before glancing at the envelope. He froze.

It was _her_ handwriting.

Struck dumb, he could only listen to Amy ramble on, "And well... I know it's going to sound insane, but I'm telling you, the letter had instructions. Erm, I was given your address and told to deliver some letters to named people. It's bonkers isn't it? I mean, how could my grandmother know about you? She died decades ago! Before any of us were born!"

"Amy?" Mrs. Steen's voice quivered, "What was your grandmother's name?"

"Makayla Pevensie."

"Duke," Mr. Steen rapidly stood up and eyed the envelope. His voice was so full of hope. "It's from her, read it."

With trembling fingers, Duke opened the envelope and began to read...

_To my dear friend Duke,_

_The most horrifying thing happened last night. I saw Tervian in my dreams last night, something that's rather normal... It appears that magic isn't limited to just the world of Narnia. Since I've kept my magic, even after leaving Narnia, I've remained connected to the dragons. I could feel their fires... I could always feel their life and power. Tervian visits me when I sleep, sometimes Redwens joins him. It has been wonderful to keep in touch with my friends, they tell me stories about Narnia. (You should know that Ed, Lucy, and their cousin Eustice went back into Narnia.)_

_Well, Tervian had a message from Aslan. Duke... I'm going to die. I don't know when exactly or how, but it will be soon. And so, I won't be able to meet you in person again, at least not in this life. Perhaps that is for the best, because I wouldn't want you to see me old and wrinkly anyways._

_I don't have much time, I need to write my parents and sister too. Look, I'm hoping that this letter finds you. A family friend is going to raise my son, yes I'm a mother, and I'm going to leave instructions for them to deliver this to you in the future. Aslan, I hope this works._

_Take care of my son and any children he may have. Tell them the truth... Tell them everything. About Narnia, about my family, about our school days. Let them know who Peter and I were. Don't let us be forgotten by our own blood._

_I will see you, when your time comes. I will be waiting for you in Aslan's country... We'll all be waiting for you._

_Love,_

_Kayla_

Duke hadn't realized that he had been crying until Amy's hand gingerly touched his face. Her face was pale, taken aback by the words she'd just heard, but her eyes still held strength. "A-Are you okay?"

And when the touch of her fingers sent fire through his veins, Duke smiled. Kayla had been right. He would fall in love.

**The End.**

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Authors Note:

Right, I didn't make the train crash up. That's how the Narnian book series end. Everyone basically dies and they all go to heaven which turns out to be Aslan's country. Just wanted to clear that up. THANK YOU for reading my work! And I am so honored that you made it to the very end. Yes, I'm afraid this is the end. I have no plans to write another sequel, considering my main character is dead... haha. I hope you always remember Kay!


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